Episode K-Sha
by aimfic
Summary: After the Zero Dimension incident, life has returned to its usual, zany tracks in Gamindustry. Almost. When the remnants of the foul mercenary syndicate stir in the shadows, the oracle of Lastation discreetly enlists K-Sha's aid to deal with them. The plan is a top secret solo sneaking mission behind the enemy lines—in the name of love!
1. Chapter 1

"Your hands weren't made for holding a gun."—a certain person once told me that.

What she meant was probably along the lines of, "your strength isn't just for the sake of killing". Mine was surely the power of a splendid hero, the power to protect.

But she was mistaken there.

What I have isn't an upright power like that. After all, the person wielding it was only a simple, flawed human. As a godly being herself, that person wouldn't understand the struggles we weak humans must go through.

Never once did these hands lift up a life asking for salvation and forgiveness; they could only ever take.

I'm not a hero. Never was. Never will be.

And this is my, K-Sha's, story.

1

"Today's the day", I decided, looking at the big bold, heart-shaped mark on my calendar. With a rare holiday from school, I made up my mind to follow through with a promise I'd been postponing for embarrassingly long, and pay a visit to the basilicom.

It had to be now or never.

Although I'd been there numerous times in the past, the mere sight of the basilicom's imposing facade was enough to make me nervous. Was that so weird? After all, this is the basilicom we're talking about—the very heart of the nation called Lastation. Or should we call it the brain instead? Either would do. And what kind of a mortal wouldn't be feeling anxious over the idea of approaching such a place? As a matter of fact, ordinary citizens rarely did. But it was neither the architecture nor the political significance of the place that brought butterflies in my stomach, really.

It was the fact that this was the place where _she_ lives.

Lady Black Heart, the CPU of Lastation.

It was none other than that great goddess herself whom I'd come to see today.

As mentioned, it had been some time since my last visit.

Long enough to make me worry if I was still remembered, as I passed through the tall entryway. Perhaps I should make it a habit to do something striking each time I come by, just to make sure I wouldn't one day get randomly turned away by the guards? For example, dress in something a tad more eye-catching than usual, just for the occasion? Too bad, I wasn't raised to be fashionable, so telling what was attention-grabbing and what wasn't was difficult for me. Maybe Uni could give me some advice in that regard? Then again, not to be rude to Uni, but I had the impression she wasn't particularly keen on following the current trends either. I'd better turn to my school friends with this problem instead.

Against my worries, I made it inside without an issue.

The guards and workers still remembered my appearance, if not from the brief period when I was the negligent owner of the place, then for my frequent comings and goings since.

Still, my pulse wasn't settling down in the least.

I'd been counting days, hours, even minutes, until our reunion, and now the fateful moment was fast approaching. I could feel it. Oh my, this is no good. I'd better take a minute to restore my composure. The timeless, divine atmosphere inside the basilicom was more than fit for taking a visitor's troubled mind off of the earthly concerns—

—"Oh, if it isn't K-Sha!"

I didn't get to space out in the main hall for even a minute, before a light voice greeted me.

I heard the quick clicking of heels approaching on the stone floor, and turned around to find myself face-to-face with a young girl. Her round, crimson eyes swiftly captured my attention and I drew a quick breath.

No way! This is too soon! I had no time to prepare my heart at all!

That jet black hair, bound in two stylish tails, silky as ever; the frilly, elegant dress designed by the impossibly talented lady herself; the lovely smile that could enamor masses. Who else could it be but the very person I'd come to meet?

So Noire was at home? Aren't I lucky?

I was looking forward to some casual chatter with some irrelevant NPCs at first, but she had so sneakily caught me off-guard. It was like those moments in games when you have multiple events lined up and the first one you click is the one that progresses the story, which you intended to save for the last. Surprised so completely, it took me embarrassingly long to respond to her friendly greeting.

I'm sure you can understand the reason to my excitement.

This girl was Noire, the CPU and leader of Lastation.

But above all that, I had the honor and privilege to call her my best friend.

"It's been a while! Have you been well? How's school?" Noire quickly inquired me with a sunny smile.

"Ah..." Basking under Noire's all too rare happy smile would've been enough to make any girl's knees wobbly—how could I hope to endure it? Is it okay to think that she's genuinely happy to see me? That smile definitely looks real to me, my heart feels it's all too real, and not just one made out of courtesy.

"Um...I-I've been fine," I did my best to act normally, feeling my face heat up. "I had a holiday from school, so I thought I'd finally take the chance to visit. Did I come at a bad time? I'm sorry for not showing up sooner, or contacting you in advance, but it's almost summer already and the finals have been keeping me busy..."

"It's fine, it's fine," Noire dismissed my regrets. Really, what is it? Her sunny expression was making me feel seven kinds of conflicted. "You came now and isn't that what matters?"

If she's in such a good mood, then would it be okay for me to be a bit bold as well? When an opportunity presents itself, you have to take the shot, like a proper sniper.

"Um, do you have any special plans for today?" I inquired. "If not, would you like to go out with me and catch up? The weather's so wonderful today too."

In response to my innocent proposal, Noire's expression quickly clouded,

"Aah, I'm sorry, K-Sha!" she says with an apologetic gesture, "I'd love to, but I'm kinda busy right now. There's too much work, I haven't been able to get out for days, but it's still too soon to take it easy...The Lastation Expo is coming next month and we're behind the organizing schedule big time. It'd be an embarrassment before all the other nations, if we didn't get at least five new titles revealed, so..."

"No, I understand, it's all right..." I hurried to say, silently berating myself for spoiling her good mood. I knew I was taking the risky road there. Relationships with workaholics sure aren't easy, are they? But I wasn't going to give up that easily. I'm not going home empty-handed after coming this far!

"Then, is there anything I can help with? I'm free, after all."

It wasn't much, but I did do some management work while I was staying at the basilicom. Or, to be precise, the world was rewritten in a way that I had done so, while I had no personal experience about it. I may not have a knack for leading a nation, but I at least know there's enough work for everyone in this place.

"Is that okay?" Noire asked with her painfully unfair puppy dog eyes. "It's your holiday and all, I wouldn't want to make you waste it working for me...Your school friends need your time too, don't they? Shouldn't you be seeing them instead...?"

I don't need friends like that.

"It's fine!" I insisted. "I see my other friends plenty at school. Besides, working for Noire and this nation, I can't imagine a more fulfilling way to spend my time!"

It did sound sort of sincere in my own ears, but was I pushing too hard? Noire can get awfully stubborn. Or, maybe "she sticks to her beliefs" would be a more positive way to phrase it?

"How should I say this...I'm sorry, about a lot of things..." Noire apologized meekly, before adding, "It's rather pitiful for a CPU to enlist the aid of a citizen, but we're really shorthanded here. So don't blame me if I take you up on that offer."

If it's by Noire, I won't mind being exploited one bit. Not that you can call this exploitation since I'm the one benefiting the most of it. Every minute spent in Noire's company is worth at least 100,000 credits, surely.

"Then, let's get to business straight away, shall we?" Noire's good spirit returns, a flame of determination lighting in her eyes. "If it's K-Sha, I know you'll be able to keep up with me. Let's work like there's no tomorrow!"

"Ahaha..."

I'd really like to see tomorrow, still. For a moment, I felt subtle dread that perhaps I ended up making promises too big to keep, but my fighting spirit soon stood up to the challenge.

"As you wish!"


	2. Chapter 2

2

Not that I ever doubted it, but the life of those leading a country sure was busy. Before I realized it, the cityscape outside the basilicom windows had shifted from blinding midday brightness to the impenetrable dark of the night, and my solitary holiday reached its conclusion.

Thinking I was safe at my work desk behind the piles of documents, I let out a little yawn and flexed my stiffened shoulders.

—"Good work today, K-Sha."

"Hi...!?" Noire's voice came unexpectedly close behind my ear, startling me.

Turning around, embarrassed for my shameful display, I saw her giggle lightly at my unguarded reaction.

"Geez..." I pouted.

"I'm sorry," she apologized without sounding sorry in the least. "I just came to tell that we can stop here for the day. We've not only caught up with the schedule but gone a little ahead. So it's fine now. You've really saved us. On behalf of everyone at the basilicom, thanks a lot."

"Please, it was nothing. Happy to serve!" I made my modest reply as though I were her official secretary, my smile half pride over work well done, half relief that the long day is finally at an end.

"Since the day flew by like this, why don't you stay the night here at the basilicom?" Noire's gaze turned to the gloomy windows. "I'd feel bad sending you out there in the dark...It may be my country and I'd like to think it's safe, but proper girls still shouldn't wander outside at this time."

Let's see, do you mean to ask whether I'm okay with spending the night here, in Noire's room? Yes or yes? Maybe yes. I could also go with yes. Certainly yes. Yes, ma'am. I won't even need to ask the audience.

"Great," Noire smiled widely in response. "I'll have a room prepared for you right away, so feel free to call it a day whenever you feel like it."

Cold. So cold!

"Now that I think about it, I didn't bring any nightwear with me," I say, raising a very practical concern.

"If that's all, I'm sure Uni won't mind lending you some. You two are around the same size, aren't you? As well as I can tell by a glance, anyway."

As she said that, I thought I saw her eyes sweep over my chest. They definitely did, didn't they? I know she didn't mean anything in particular by that, but please, one more critical hit like that and I'll be K.O.'d for sure!

But, I can't well go to Uni and say, "I'm staying the night, lend me your pajamas", can I? I feel I'd be overstepping my boundaries. No, whether I can or can't, I have no choice but to do it, do I?

"Nothing wrong with that, you're friends, right?" Noire assured me there was no reason to be reserved. "I still have a few things left to take care of, so you can go say hi to her right away. I'm sure there's lots for you two to talk about."

Yes, I was planning on doing so sooner or later, so I should get it out of the way now, I suppose.

"And afterwards..." Noire looked away and her tone suddenly became more subdued, making me forget about my meager worries. "Um...Why don't we come back here and talk for a bit, okay...?"

That's what they call, "an offer you can't refuse", isn't it?

A ticklish sense of warmth filled me within and all my earlier worries melted away like snow under the spring sun.

"Yes...let's!"


	3. Chapter 3

3

I spent time talking with Noire in her room until late into the night, while enjoying tea with biscuits around a low table on the floor. Somehow, my laborious visit to the basilicom turned into a midnight pajama party with a dear friend. I honestly didn't mind helping out, but anyone would prefer this kind of a development, right? I don't even remember of the details of what we talked about anymore. The topics themselves weren't important. They were simply everyday things like my school, what's going on in Lastation and the other nations, the other CPUs, the CPU Candidates and the rest of our friends.

Before the contents, I treasured the moment.

The fact that I was here, speaking with Noire.

Looking at Noire, listening to her words.

I was grateful simply for being alive to experience all this.

"...And after all that, Neptune tells me, 'I'll leave the rest to youuu~!', and runs away, dragging Nepgear with her. If Uni hadn't showed up, I don't know what would've happened next. I can't believe that idiot! Every single time I get the worst of it! It's not right, is it? Would any kind of friendship endlessly forgive this kind of treatment? I don't think it's very fair, if I'm allowed to complain a bit. Don't you think so too?"

"Ahaha...I wonder..."

Whether allowed to or not, complaining you've sure been.

It does sting a little, to hear the person you care so much about endlessly bring up stories about other girls, but I was somehow able to ignore that part in favor of the situation itself.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Noire suddenly regained her self-consciousness and apologized. "I've been going on about my troubles for a good while now. It must be so boring to listen..."

"No, not at all," I insisted. "Your everyday life is full of so many fun adventures, I'm kind of envious, to be honest."

"Were you even listening...?" Noire sourly mumbles. "I don't think that qualifies as 'fun' by any stretch of the word. Well...if I were to be perfectly honest, then I suppose it wasn't all completely bad either...Maybe?"

The fabled dere-dere is here.

"W-well, anyway, shall we go to sleep now?" she hurriedly changed the topic and proposed an ending to our tea party. "You must be real tired. It's been a long day, after all."

I couldn't deny that. But as tired as I was, instead of sleeping, my mind was somewhere else.

"Um, Noire..." I timidly called her, as she was about to get up. In a hurry to keep her attention, my tongue struggled to express what was but a vague but persisting desire lurking in the back of my mind.

"What is it?" Blinking her eyes, Noire looked back at me and waited.

Oh no. When she looks at me so innocently like that, it gets even harder to speak my mind. Still, since I already got started, there was no backing out now.

"Noire...If you don't mind...Could I...could I, for just a bit, stay close to you...?"

"Huh?" her eyes widened in surprise.

Really, is it something to be surprised by? We're in Noire's room, just the two of us, late at night, how can I help it? If you're going to look at me with such bewildered eyes, it will make me feel like a complete pervert. Indeed, I burned up with embarrassment. But I couldn't help it.

I can't stop feeling the way I do.

It's not a secret, nor am I ashamed to admit it.

I love Noire.

Not just as a friend.

I love her every bit as much as a person can love another. Naturally, that also included the desire to be by her side, to be as close to her as was physically possible, to savor her presence to the fullest. She might not share my passion, but I will work diligently and do my best every day, to ultimately win her over.

Still, if I'm the one doing all the work for no reward, I can't keep up with it forever, can I?

That'd impossible for anyone.

So, won't you grant me a little favor?

Won't you let me rely on you, for just a bit?

Give me a little bit of courage and hope—I'm not asking too much, am I?

"That's..." Noire went stiff, flustered.

That cute reaction only served to boost the compelling emotion in my chest. I would surely die unless she saved me now. Like a rabbit, I would die of loneliness.

"...Alright, alright," she sighed and gave in with a soft smile, like a mother who knows she's spoiling her child rotten. Leaning her back on the bed behind her, she reached her hand to me in an inviting gesture. "If I were to say no to those eyes, I doubt my own heart could take it. For just a little while, okay?"

"Yes…!"

Without giving her the time to change her mind, I crawled over to Noire and snuggled up close, resting my head by her pale neck. Her slender body firmly against mine, letting her support me, I closed my eyes, becoming filled with a bliss so overwhelming, I feared it would break my mind.

Ah, it's warm.

What was warmed wasn't so much my body, as it was my heart.

The heart that was once forced to harden, all weakness of it expunged, as it became folded all over and over like a sword. The one who had restored it was this girl. The one who kept it beating was her and no other. If only I could take shelter in her warm radiance forever...

"I'm glad..."

Amid my happiness, I heard a voice quietly speak close to my ear.

"Huh...?"

"Having someone treasure me so much makes me really happy," Noire said with unusual warmth in her tone, gently stroking my hair. "To be honest with you, I may have been just a little lonely these past few weeks...without you around..."

"Thank you," I mumbled. "Thank you for saying that. Whether you let me or not, I'll try my hardest, so that you will never be lonely again."

"Ah...I'd be happy if you did. K-Sha," her whisper answered me, just as I was about to pass to sleep.

Lulled by the waves of the sea of happiness washing over me, wondering whether I really heard it, or whether it was just my own wishes materialized in a waking dream, my consciousness little by little slowed down to a still.


	4. Chapter 4

4

At some point early in the morning, the room got bright enough to wake me up. I sleep lightly by an old habit, so I never had any need for an alarm clock.

Already time to get up, is it? The night was practically just a brief loading screen for me.

I didn't think I'd ever had a rest this peaceful at the basilicom before. Or any bed for that matter. But as comfortable as it was, I had to get going. Yesterday might have been a holiday, but today classes resumed as usual, and I still need to drop by at home to get my books.

With almost inhuman effort, I distanced myself from the blissful warmth and comfort of the silky sheets, took a look around and...

"—..."

My brain jammed.

Am I still asleep, after all? My eyes were having trouble believing what they were seeing. At least, I couldn't even begin to explain to myself in a convincing way the incredible chain of events that had led to this result.

On the bed beside me was Noire's vulnerable figure, veiled only in pure white nightwear.

That angelic yet also devilish form, too beautiful for mortal eyes.

Come in HQ, this is K-Sha. I'll be making my final report now. It's a bit sudden, but it seems I won't be coming back to home base alive anymore. Let my few friends know I died of pure happiness and didn't suffer. What little possessions are left after I am gone should be donated to charity, seeing as I have no parents or siblings. My guns should be given to Uni, since she's most likely the only person in Gamindustry able to appreciate the effort I've put into their maintenance over the years. I have no regrets. After all, in my last moments, I was able to see something truly wonderful...Guhehehe...Oh dang, at this rate, my nose will start bleeding.

"Hm...Oh, K-Sha? Already awake? Good morning..."

It seems I woke up Noire in my delusions.

Rubbing her drowsy eyes, she sat up and turns to me. "Hm? Is something wrong? You look a bit...feverish? You didn't catch a cold, did you? You should be more mindful of where you go to sleep, really..."

"This is...this is..." I gradually forced myself to speak. "H-how bold of you, Noire!"

"What?"

"Though I was kind of hoping you would, I never seriously imagined you'd take my first time so readily...Oh my, oh my..."

"Hue—?" As though a glitch had occurred in the program, Noire froze.

"But, you didn't need to wait until I was asleep, I would have gladly given my consent whenever, wherever, had only you said the word. For Noire, I only ever have the 'yes' side of the pillow up. I understand if you felt insecure about your performance, but I think the image of Noire being clumsy in bed is very endearing as well, I would've very much liked to witness it with my own eyes..."

"WHAT ARE YOU MISUNDERSTANDING!?" Noire finally recovered enough to let out a desperate shriek. "You fell asleep on me, and carrying you back to your room would've been a bother, so I let you sleep in my bed! Give me my good will back right now!"

"Have you thought about how we should name the child? If it's a boy, it would be nice if he inherited Noire's cool looks. But I suppose a girl would be fine too. Personally, I'm aware of my poor naming sense, so I'm fine with anything you come up with..."

"TWO GIRLS CAN'T GET BABIES, what are you going on about, geez! Moreover, listen to what I'm saying!"

"If we follow this up with a shotgun wedding, should I bring an M32 or an M811 with me? What do you think, Noire? This could be an important point when choosing a matching wedding dress."

"A SHOTGUN WEDDING DOESN'T MEAN THE BRIDE BRINGS WEAPONS WITH HER!"

"So I'll be the bride? That's right, I think Noire should be the husband. If I'm allowed to be selfish, I think dressing Noire in a suit would make for an uncannily charming skight...You' have your cool, manly side, it only seems right to amplify it a bit..."

"THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDE TO GET STUCK ON!? And how am I manly!? No matter what, I'm a girl! Wake up already! I can't deal with you at all!"

Her utterly helpless face started to make me pity her.

Oh, I'm sorry, for a moment there, I let my "drive" get the better of me. And every opportunity to tease Noire was priceless and shouldn't be missed—I was taught so by Lady Neptune.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps approaching the room reached my ears, coming from the hallway outside. Indeed, before either of us could lift a finger, the door was brashly swung open and a young girl stormed in, her black pigtails swaying.

"What's wrong, sis, I could hear you yelling all the way down the hall—fuEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHH!?"

As expected, the one to arrive so soon was Uni, Noire's younger sister and the CPU Candidate of Lastation.

Now I know they're siblings and all, but I can't avoid feeling a bit miffed at how she so casually waltzes into Noire's room without knocking, as though she owns the place...

"What in the heavens are you two doing in here!?" Uni yelled, her face turning bright red, stunned by our suggestive positioning on the bed.

"Is there something wrong with me being in my best friend's room?" I asked her in return, in a tone perhaps less friendly than intended.

"No matter how you're friends, there's definitely something off about you being in my sister's bed, dressed in my nightgown!" she retorted. "What happened last night!? Do I even dare to ask!?"

Oh yes, Uni wasn't in her room when I went to check up on her last night, so I ended up helping myself to her wardrobe...Tehe!

"Calm down, Uni," Noire tried to soothe her sibling, showing surprising composure in the embarrassing situation. "We weren't doing anything in particular."

In response to her disarming words, Uni sighed heavily and relaxed her shoulders,

"Oh, I see. If Noire says it's nothing, then it probably really is nothing—Like heck am I going to believe that! This is suspicious! This is weird! It's like straight from that liar general's summary site! Are you being brainwashed again!? You're not another doppelganger, are you? Can you prove you're really my older sister!?"

"Yes, yes, I'm totally a fake. And since I'm one, there's nothing to worry about, is there? Instead of getting so worked up this early in the morning, how about cooking some breakfast instead?"

"You've got to be kidding me..." Uni sighed heavily at the suggestion.

"Now, now!" In the end, I regained enough of my composure to try and defuse the impending family conflict. "Since we have the chance, why don't we all go make breakfast together? I'm sure it'll be fun!"

I confess I wasn't proposing this for completely selfless reasons. Acting intermediary here should net me a few extra Noire-points, if I'm lucky. And cooking with all three of us together like this, it's like we're already family, isn't it? Ufufufu…

"Why does the idea of cooking make you giggle in such a gross way?" Uni eyed me suspiciously. Her intuition was nothing to joke about. "Should I worry about what's going to my plate…? Aah, whatever, can I go just back to bed now? I have a feeling I want to skip this day altogether..."

"That's just you," I told her. "If I may choose, I'd prefer it never ended."

Even if my lighthearted comment were to trigger a time loop story, it would've been fine. Rather, just as requested.

That's what I thought.

Who knew, I would end up changing my mind soon enough.


	5. Chapter 5

5

All good things must come to an end, and all too soon, we reached that point on my visit to Lastation's basilicom. In a hurry to get to school in time, I was forced to reluctantly bid farewell to Noire and Uni after a lively breakfast scene. They had their work cut out for them, as did I, even if my humble duties were several levels less vital to our country's future. In any case, as sad as it was to part ways with a loved one, leaving with the building still standing was definitely a happy conclusion.

It meant there was still the next time to look forward to.

Under the assumption that my daily routine would hereby return the way it had been until the brief vacation, I left the basilicom...Or, no, I couldn't make it that far.

Right as I was on my way across the entrance hall, something unexpected happened.

—"Miss K-Sha. Could I have a moment?"

I was unexpectedly stopped by a voice calling my name.

Turning cautiously around, I found myself looking at a young...boy? A girl? Which one was it? Let's just call her a girl for convenience's sake. I liked that way better. In any case, she was a slender, young-looking person with short, silvery hair and sky blue eyes, dressed in a formal-looking black attire. Though I couldn't recall ever seeing her before, I suppose she wouldn't have been loitering in the basilicom main hall if she weren't a character of importance.

Seeing no reason why she would stop me, my pessimism quickly got the better of me. I'm not in trouble, am I?

"Thank goodness I caught you before you left," the strange person smiled as she came to me. "I believe this is our first meeting, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kei Jinguji. I worked overseas for a period of time, but as of today, I have returned to resume my duties as the Oracle of Lastation. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms K-Sha."

"Oh..."

The Oracle of Lastation?

Now that I thought about it, I vaguely remembered such a person existing. While we had indeed never met before, face-to-face, Lastation having a dedicated Oracle the same as every other nation was obviously common knowledge.

Just, I forgot. Having, you know, never met her.

"If it's all right with you, could I have a moment of your time," the Oracle, Jinguji, proceeded to say, beckoning me to follow. "This way, to my office. There are certain matters I'd like to discuss with you, without the risk of being overheard."

I was pressed for time, but her cautious tone piqued my curiosity. I wanted no unexpected developments to take place in the place where my loved ones lived, so I saw it best to go along with it and get better informed. Lastation's problems were Noire's problems, and Noire's problems were my problems. It's only natural, isn't it?

I followed Jinguji to a room that appeared to be her personal office. Closing the door and taking a seat behind an impressive, wide work desk, she then wasted no courtesies moving straight to the heart of the matter.

"I've heard all about you, Ms K-Sha."

"Eh...?"

"About you being a member of the Gold Third, as well as about your past as a soldier of a certain underground organization."

It was rather intimidating, the way she could throw such personal lines in your face with that faint smile of false courtesy. But if spooking me was her goal, it wasn't working. I had no reason to shy away from my past. Noire knew all my secrets, she accepted me just the way I was, and the opinions of other people didn't matter one bit. Simple as that.

Yes, I am—or was—one of the four people that made up the Gold Third, the group that once briefly reigned over Gamiundstry, even though that held little meaning at present. And yes, I was raised from an early age by a mercenary group, as one of their own, and trained to eliminate their enemies. But the Syndicate was no more. It was only another story I'd now put behind me.

"Don't take it the wrong way, I did not call you here to accuse you of anything or to threaten you," Jinguji went on, observing my expression. "I merely wished to say that there's no need for you to show restraint in my presence. Instead, let us move on straight to the heart of the matter. To be direct, we find ourselves in a quick and dire need of your...expertise."

"What do you mean?" I frowned at her loaded words.

"This organization you once belonged to, the so-called Syndicate which was supposed to have been eradicated in the past—recent intelligence from our agents suggests that they are not quite as through as we thought they were. Some of their diehard remnants have been acting up again within Lastation's borders."

"Really...?"

"Yes," Jinguji nodded. "We've learned that some disconcerting materials have been smuggled into the country in recent history, which leads us to believe the group is attempting to rebuild its forces in secret. You are probably aware of how they collaborated with the secret organization Affimax and dispatched combat machinery to Leanbox during the Zero Dimension incident, in order to make them think they were being invaded by us. The sad reality is that while their lead figures were caught here in the capital, we never did manage to track down the factions responsible for the manufacturing and transportation of those weapons. That leaves an alarming quantity of manpower and machinery still unaccounted for. Perhaps enough to become a threat to Lady Noire's establishment."

"..."

It was bad news, no doubt about it.

I knew well enough from personal experience, that even if reduced in numbers, the organization was far from toothless. "A cornered fox is more dangerous than a jackal." I'd hoped to take them down on my own before they could act up again, but if Jinguji's information was correct, I may already be too late.

No matter how you look at it, these people were professionals. By the time you catch wind of what they're up to, they're already two or three steps ahead of that.

"And, what is it that you'd like me to do?" I asked.

Without answering right away, Jinguji gave me a mysterious look.

"By your words, I take it you are not opposed to lending us a hand then?"

"I would do something about it whether you asked me or not," I give my reply. "One way or another, I'm bringing the organization down, for good."

The truth is, I hadn't spent all my time as a carefree student.

During my spare time, I'd been doing all I could to pursue any leads on my former colleagues and superiors, who caused us so much trouble during the Zero Dimension incident. The key leaders of the Syndicate might have been defeated and arrested, but there's no telling what the remnants will do. Not all of them were fortunate enough to find a new purpose in life, the way I did. They would probably hold onto their mistaken ways to the bitter end. Which was why my intention was to weed them out in silence, before they could cause any more trouble to Noire.

"Good, the resolution in your eyes is encouraging," Jinguji remarked with a satisfied nod. "I had to make sure, as what I am about to tell you next is absolutely confidential. As a matter of fact, it is confidential to the point that not even our CPU knows about it yet."

"Eh? Not even Noire?"

That's surprising. Considering this is her nation.

"That's right," Jinguji's clear eyes betrayed nothing of what went on in her heart, as she stared back at me. "You could call plans like this as 'Lastation's black ops'. Their details, their very existence, will be kept classified from the public, because that knowledge alone could become—shall we say—problematic to our country's reputation. Put it another way, if the word were to get out, it could pose detrimental effects to the quantity and quality of our Shares, among other hazards. You must see why that's a problem. Which is why I have to ask you to keep what you're about to hear here to yourself."

"Of course," I nodded. I was already accustomed to keeping secrets. Who would I tell anyway? My friends at school had nothing to do with these things. Only, if Noire happened to be the one asking, I'd obviously tell everything straight away. But there's no reason to mention that to Jinguji now, is there? See? I'm just full of secrets and the sun is barely up.

"Excellent," Lastation's Oracle clasped her hands. "Then, please have a look over here."

She proceeded to take out her tablet computer from the desk drawer and set it up on the table, where I could see. Displayed on the screen appeared to be the map of Gamindustry, Lastation in particular.

"By the incoming reports, or rather the lack thereof, we suspect the Syndicate has set up a base here, on the outskirts of Lastation, concealed by the jungle in the region. We've already dispatched a number of recon squads to investigate, but soon lost contact with each of them. That means, while our information on the area and what awaits is limited, it is practically a given that the enemy has a force of considerable strength stationed there."

"I see," I looked at the map. Not that there was much I can say about it. A new base or an old one, my ex-membership helped us little with the matter. I obviously wouldn't be told where this and that base was, just the information relevant to the mission at hand. I might have been doing my own investigation since leaving the organization, but with my old contacts gone now, there was no way I could outdo a nation's intelligence agency. So for now, I could only take her information for granted.

"Then, the problem we face is this," Jinguji continued. "What to do about an enemy stronghold, which has proved too much to our finest operatives? Needless to say, if I were to mention this matter to Lady Noire or Lady Uni, they would waste no time storming the place. But that is not an option, not while we can avoid it. It's not that I doubt the two's abilities, but sending our nation's invaluable CPU and CPU Candidate to such a dangerous place, filled with unknowns, would be outrageous as an idea. If by a chance they fell, our nation would be doomed."

"I suppose I am on the list of expendables then?" I tried not to come across as too cynical saying that.

"That's not it," Jinguji denied it, carefully hiding her emotions. "I am aware that you are to our Lady Noire something of a VIP. But at the same time, you are a Gold Third, a hero to our nation. You have strength, experience, and an in-depth understanding of the enemy we're dealing with. If we cannot rely on our goddess, then you are our second best bet at taking down that factory. That is only logical."

"..."

No matter how you call me a Gold Third, with the Golden Crystal of Lastation destroyed, I'm afraid that power is virtually nonexistent now. Sending me alone to take down the Syndicate's factory is, if not a suicide mission, then at the very least European Extreme level.

I voiced my concerns to Jinguji as well.

"Naturally, we do not expect you to singlehandedly wipe out a whole base upfront," she replied. "That would be a tall order even for all the four CPUs. What I have in mind is something else, naturally more suited to your talents."

"Something else?"

"Correct." Saying that, Jinguji proceeded to manipulate her tablet, and opened up an image file. It was a photograph, a photograph depicting an unknown person in a white lab coat.

"This is Ran Ran," the Oracle explained. "Originally a citizen of Leanbox, she temporarily worked in one of our research institutes, before going missing a short while ago. We believe she was kidnapped by the enemy, for her technical expertise perhaps, and is being held at the base in question. At least, there are no other plausible options. Possibly, the Syndicate is forcing her to help build weapons for them."

"I-I see..."

Whoever this Ran Ran person is, I couldn't avoid feeling sorry for her.

"Knowing this," Jinguji went on, "I would like to propose the following plan of action. Rather than attempting to annihilate a base we know virtually nothing about, I suggest that you infiltrate the place using stealth and locate Ran Ran inside. Then, learn everything she knows and extract her. Alive, preferably, as the Leanbox basilicom has expressed an interest in her safe return. With luck, the information we get from Ran Ran will grant us the strategic upper hand against the enemy. As a professional, what do you think?"

So not only will we gain critical information, the Syndicate won't be able to keep building whatever it is they have in there without Ran Ran. I thought it was an unexpectedly clever plan. One I definitely didn't expect to hear from a basilicom Oracle. Isn't her job more a public management type?

No, never mind.

"Yes, I believe it's doable," I nodded in affirmation. "It's a plan that doesn't expect me to rely on the Golden Power, but instead lets me operate as I normally would...I see you've thought this through."

"This operation is essentially all we could come up with for tackling that base," Jinguji responded. "So it's only natural that a lot of thought has gone into it. We can't afford it to fail. That would mean not only allowing a serious threat against our country to run unchecked, but also risk a diplomatic scandal with Leanbox, for losing their citizen. I know the responsibility is great, but we will do everything in our power to assist you."

No joke, it was a whole lot of responsibility on one person. But turning the matter around, it meant my service to Noire wouldn't be small either. If it helped me repay the debt I owed her, even if only the interest, then I had no need to think about it twice.

"I understand, I'll do it. No, please let me do it!"

"Very good. That is an admirable response," Jinguji said. "I've taken the liberty of informing your academy regarding your sudden absence. There will be no repercussions waiting for you in your civilian life, so rest assured and put your focus on the mission."

So it was already taken for a given that I'd say yes...?

Well, clearly enough, this was never a multiple choice quiz for me. The threat to the nation aside, this was about my past. Those skeletons in the closet should be put to rest by now. I didn't enjoy wasting my life looking over my shoulder any more than the next person.

Besides...Going from someone who took lives to someone who saved them—to be worthy of Noire's friendship, I had to be able to accomplish as much.

Still, I couldn't say I wasn't uneasy in the slightest.

What awaited me out there, in the hidden enemy base, I hadn't the faintest idea.

Would I return safely home from this job?

The possibility of everything going wrong is ever present on the battlefield...Well, rather than worrying about the future, I should take that time to ensure I succeeded, right?

And so it was decided.

My journey to the heart of darkness, once more.


	6. Chapter 6

6

The morning wind smelled of salt, reminding of the proximity of the sea and carrying a nagging sense of foreboding. The information hadn't been a lie. Hidden behind the verdant jungle far west of the capital of Lastation, on the shores of a secluded, bowl-like bay, stood an uncharted base. Rather than a military base, it resembled a factory, with numerous sturdy, box-like buildings side by side, thick pipes running along the ground, and tall smokestacks drawing black trails in the sky. The whole serving of steel was surrounded by tall fences all around.

So this was the rumored Syndicate stronghold, investigating which numerous armed reconnaissance squads had gone missing? On the outside it looked alarmingly peaceful. And the one who had to drag its secrets to daylight was me. This was a solo sneaking mission. Infiltrating the base by myself was easier than trying to get a whole squad in, but in the event that something went wrong, I'd be left on my own. No checkpoints or retries. No one would or could save me—I had to prepare myself for that.

Well, grim as it seemed, this is the way it had always been for me.

In a way, you could even call this moment a nostalgic one.

Back in the day, when I was a member of the Syndicate, tools like myself would generally operate alone. I needed no one else. If it was me, I'd take care of any unreasonable jobs on my own, never asking or wishing for backup. And now, I was trying to take apart that very organization, using the skills they'd taught me. A setting like this was becoming cliché to the point of usurping the territory of predestination.

Never mind, I just had to do it and go home. Go home, back to Noire.

I didn't see any enemies from where I was, but it was better to proceed with caution, in order to avoid sharing the fate of the reconnaissance teams.

On the way, Jinguji had given me a mechanical eyepatch with a camera installed. It provided the mission control with live feed from the field, but also served as binoculars. I now turned off the zoom function, stood up from the spot I was crouching in and prepared to get started...

[CHIRP, CHIRP]

Right as I was about to head downhill, I was stopped by an obscure, piercing sound in my ear. What's this? It appeared to be coming from another gadget Jinguji made me bring along? I believe she called it a communicator, although I'd never seen one so tiny before. It could fit in my ear without any bulky parts showing.

Let's see, I need to press...here?

"It connected. Good," Jinguji's voice immediately sounded in my ear through the communicator. Um, shouldn't you check it works before you send me alone in an enemy base?

"This is K-Sha," I reported in. "I've located the base and am about to move in."

"Excellent. What do you think about the looks of it?"

"I see no one from up here, but it's heavily guarded. I can tell that much by the layout of the place."

"It seems we picked the right person for the job. Still, be careful out there. There isn't much we can offer in terms of support from where we are, but using this wireless communicator Ms Nepgear made for us, we can still provide real-time advice and instructions based on the situation. Thanks to your eyepatch, everything you see, we'll be able to see as well. Though we can't be with you on the field in person, you're not alone. Don't forget that."

I get it. But why an eyepatch...? It could've been made to look like any kind of an accessory, right? Was it was just her...personal preference?

Still, to think such amazing technology exists—it was like magic. If only I'd had something like this back in the day, it would've made things so much easier...No, what am I saying, killing people should never be easy!

"Incidentally," Jinguji continued, "when you're using the communicator like this, the rest of the game will be paused, so you don't need to worry about being surprised by the enemy while we're chatting. This also applies in boss battles. Don't you think that's terribly handy?"

"This isn't a video game though..."

Are there going to be many more jokes like this one? I'm starting to feel combat weariness catching up with me and we haven't even reached the enemy base yet.

"Do you have any ideas where this Ran-Ran person might be?" I asked, in an attempt to refocus my rapidly scattering thoughts. I don't suppose Jinguji will simply tell me, "right here", and set up a big red dot on my mini-map?

"I haven't the faintest." Jinguji mercilessly responded, as expected. "Like I said, our intelligence on the area is limited. None of our operatives made it as far as inside. Gathering information on the scene will be an essential part of your mission. Why don't you try capturing and interrogating one of the guards patrolling the base?"

"Um, how exactly am I expected to do such a thing…?"

It might have been a simple task when I had the Golden Power, but right now, I'm physically no different from an ordinary school girl. Capturing and interrogating a professional mercenary is a tall order.

"Is the notorious ex-Syndicate soldier trying to tell me she can't?" Jinguji afforded me no excuses. "Even when you were a mere human, your organization couldn't hope to put reins on you. I'm sure you'll think of a way. How about you try and remember the basics of CRC?"

"CRC...?"

"Why, Close Range Combat, of course. I heard you were a master of it."

While I felt in several ways uneasy about the acronym used, now that she said it, I suddenly had a feeling I might be able to pull it off.

"Very well, I'll see if any opportunities come up."

"Good. We're depending on you," Jinguji replied. "I'll try to keep contact to a minimum, in the unlikely event that our line is being tapped. But if anything comes up, don't hesitate to call. I'll do everything I can to help. We have the basilicom's intelligence team doing research and analysis around the clock. We have faith in you."

Her words of encouragement came across as a bit half-hearted to me, but I'll take what I get.

"Thank you, I'll be going then," feeling slightly better, I moved my hand to cut the transmission.

"Ah, yes, one more thing." Jinguji interrupts me.

"Yes?"

"Regarding what I mentioned, outstanding as Miss Nepgear's technology might be, there's a chance that the enemy may be eavesdropping on our communication frequency. For that very reason, I propose that we refrain from calling each other with our real names."

"Eh...?"

I failed to see how changing our names would improve things, but Jinguji's calling the shots, so I could only go along with it. Now that she said it, this kind of thing is standard practice on such covert operations.

"Then, how should we refer to each other…?"

"As for our side, I'd like you to use the code name, 'GK'."

"GK? That's it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"It's terribly short, isn't it...? Well, at least it's easy to remember and quick to say, so I suppose it's good enough for a code name."

"It's a play on my name, since I'm not a terribly imaginative person, but it should help keep my identity concealed for the duration of this mission. If it makes you feel better, you may add 'Major' to it."

Major G.K.

"I won't be adding major to it..." I declined her proposal. "Okay then. What kind of a code name do I get? Please make it something cool."

"As for that, since I have no sense for names, I had every member of the team here write down suggestions. We failed to reach consensus in the end, but you may choose for yourself which one of the leading proposals you like the best."

I don't see why a simple code name requires such a brainstorming session...Exactly how much time did you spend on this thing?

"Well, let's hear them then..."

"Very well. Here is suggestion number one, from a certain Ms U. 'Yandere Serpent'."

"….."

What's with that unexpectedly loaded and venomous name? What's more, it's too long! Who suggested that? I believe I should have a word with the person...

"Am I to take it that you don't like it?"

"If you know I'm not going to like it, then don't suggest it in the first place..."

"Then, the next suggestion," ignoring my complaints, Jinguji moved on. "Let's see...Ah, this is from V, our international affairs advisor. 'Small Boss'."

"..."

I know they're code names and code names don't usually make much sense, in fact, the more confusing they are the better they work to confound the enemy, but why exactly am I "small"? I admit I'm not very tall for my age, and it occasionally bothers me a little, especially when I'm standing next to Noire, but I'm still far from being the shortest character in the franchise…

"No, you're mistaken," Jinguji appears to predict my concerns. "Knowing the person behind the suggestion, I believe the 'small' part here isn't so much a reference to your height, as it is about a certain other measure..."

With the way this is turning out, I think that before the enemy Syndicate, our support team should be purged first. If you know who it is, then spit it out! Now!

"Very well, not that one either. Then, proposal number three..."

"There are more!?"

"'Potential Future Lowee Citizen'."

"…."

What's with that!?

"The person behind the suggestion says, 'if you think it's too long, it can be shortened as PFLC'. Or just 'DFC'. I believe this to be a reference to—"

"You don't need to explain it!" I make my protest. "No matter how I look at it, the second and third proposals are by the same person, aren't they!? What's up with that!?"

"That was rejected as well? How sad, people's heartfelt feelings were poured into making these..."

"I think they should've poured their heartfelt feelings for something more meaningful. If they're all going to be like that, I'm rejecting every last one of them! I don't care who's listening, so you can call me by my name."

"As you wish," Jinguji finally gave up. "That may be for the best. Sorry to have kept you. Best of luck on your mission."

"Thanks..."

Sighing, I cut the transmission and tried my hardest to turn my attention back to the mission.

[CHIRP, CHIRP]

Working my way down the cliff, I barely reached the root of it, when the communicator made noise again. It's pretty distracting, that noise. What is it now? I had better be important.

"This is K-Sha?" I picked up. "Did you forget something…?"

"Hi, K-Sha, sorry, but this isn't Kei. And I'm sorry for bothering you as well, but there's something important I need to tell you quick, before you go on."

Oh my, it was someone else.

"That voice...Could it be, Uni...?"

"N-no! This isn't Uni!" Startled, the speaker quickly denied. "I am...erm, yes, I am Miss Black Sister!"

"...It's Uni, isn't it? I mean, Black Sister is your CPU Candidate name—"

"It's not! You've got the wrong person! There can be more people by the same name, you know? Isn't that common sense!?"

More people called, 'Black Sister'? No, I'm pretty sure there's only one in the world. Otherwise, you'd kinda have to wonder what the person's parents were thinking...

"Anyway!" Not-Uni anxiously interrupted me. "For this mission, you should refer to me by the codename, 'Medic'? See, because 'sister' is how some people call medics and...like that! That's what I mean."

Excuse me, Uni, but it's nuns that are called sisters, not medics, and while nuns may sometimes do voluntary work at hospitals, it really is a stretch—No, on a second thought, enough with the codenames already!

"Then, what's wrong, Uni? I'm kind of busy right now..."

"Like I said, it's not Uni..." the speaker feebly protested. "Ahh, never mind. I just called to say that if you ever feel like wanting to save the game, then you should contact me using this frequency, okay? It's important, so don't you forget about it! There'll be no auto-save feature in this title, so it's up to you to preserve your progress."

"..."

That's one herculean misunderstanding, I'm not sure how to even begin to correct it.

I saw no way to break it to her nicely, so I guess I can only say it straight.

"...I'm sorry, Uni, but again, this is a book, not a game, so there's no point in trying to save, is there…? You'd normally use a bookmark or something for the purpose."

"Eh?" It sounds like she only realized just now. "...Huuuuh!? It is? Aaaa! That Kei! What is she making me do! I look like a total idiot now, don't I!? I'm not going to forgive her for this! Sorry, K-Sha, but I have urgent business to take care of, so I'll catch you later! Bye!"

"..."

An abrupt end to an abrupt transmission.

So far, it was starting to look like my allies are the biggest hindrance between me and my objective. I'm sorry, Nepgear, but your groundbreaking invention has become a tool of disorder. Moreover, what was the point of keeping this mission a secret from Noire, if her little sister was already involved...?

Doing my best to set these needless questions aside and get my mind on the right track again, I moved low and headed cautiously towards the factory looming in the distance.


	7. Chapter 7

7

It was hardly any merit to my observation skills, but, as expected, the factory perimeter was heavily guarded. The patrols had been smartly positioned in places that were difficult to see from afar. An unwitting intruder would be fooled by the serene appearance of the place and walk right into their arms. But a setup of this level was nowhere near enough to catch me. I spotted the patrols before they could see me and made my way past them in the cover of the tall batches of grass.

Really, I could've done it with my eyes closed, by the sound of their footsteps alone. What kind of an amateur guard strides around with such heavy, careless steps, as if trying to punish the very earth beneath their feet?

Hiding in the bushes by the perimeter fence, I quietly waited for the guard to pass by.

Yes, a guard in singular. For some reason, this one was alone.

Add to that, it was a she.

A young, scruffy-looking woman, who didn't appear terribly intimidating or heavily armed. Just your typical, low pay grade underling. I can't believe someone like her would be a member of the Syndicate. They must have picked up delinquents off the streets to make up for the lack in manpower. Judging by our friend here, it seemed like anyone with two arms and legs made the cut.

Could this have been the kind of an opportunity Jinguji was talking about before, to extract information? I doubt they'd tell a hired goon like this anything worthwhile, but it should've been good for practice at least.

My mind set, I readied my gun and slipped out of the bushes.

Step. Two.

I can't believe this. I was already right behind the underling and she still didn't realize I was there? Was she dreaming about the payday, or what?

"Don't move," catching the villain in a hold was so easy I wanted to cry. Was I really worrying so much over enemies of this level?

Startled, the underling realized the situation.

"I'VE BEEN CAPTUREEEED!?" she lets out a shriek loaded with disbelief.

I wrung her arm tighter.

"Be quiet! I have my gun pointed at your back. If you try to alert your comrades, or do anything fishy, I won't think twice to pull the trigger."

"Whaaat?" the captured scoundrel unexpectedly relaxed. "It's just some lass? I thought the CPUs had come to kill me! What would you have done, had I wet my pants! Give me my shocked reaction back! I wasted it for no reason! Ow!"

"Shouldn't you worry about being killed by me first? Tell me, what is this factory for? What are you building in here?"

"I'm not going to tell a squirt like you a danged thing!" the underling acted defiant. "I may not look like it, but I have my pride as a criminal! More than that stupid rat, at least. I'll hang dry sooner than sell out the feeding hand!"

"That's some determination, for a mere underling. But I don't have the time to play with you. Tell me everything you know, if you don't want your life wasted for bad reasons."

"Huuh? How did you know my name, anyway? Who are you?"

"Eh...?"

Whenever did I mention her name?

"Oh daaaammit!" she suddenly cried out again. "I've been called 'underling' for so long by everybody, I already started to think it was my real name!"

"…"

"'Underling this', 'underling that'! Every single day! Be it by a friend or a foe! Man, this sucks! Is this what my life has boiled down to!? At this point, I'm starting to think it'd be better if somebody just pulled the trigger on me!"

Looks like I caught somebody really bothersome…

"Do you know a person called Ran-Ran?" I tried, tightening my hold.

"Ouch! Watch it! Are you talking about that pig?"

"Pig?" It looked like a person to me in the photograph, but then again, there was something odd about her face...

"Yeah, she's the one they brought to work on the secret weapon, right?"

"Secret weapon...?"

"Oh dang it! I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?"

"Now that you did, how about telling a little more. What kind of a weapon is it?"

"I don't know, I really don't!" the underling insisted. "Never seen the thing! It's not even ready yet. At least wasn't the last time I gave it a look! I don't think they have it running yet!"

"...You've seen it, or you haven't, which one is it?"

"I haven't, haven't! At least, not with all the parts put together, you know. It depends!"

"I don't need you to describe what it looks like with all the parts put together, just tell me what it's meant to do, in theory."

"As if I could tell you such a thing! The boss would kill me!"

"And I will kill you right here if you don't."

"You're not gonna kill me!" the underling boldly said, brushing off my threat. "You're one of the good guys, aren't you? One of those goody-two-shoes allies of justice. The heroes wouldn't ever even hurt a baby!"

No, not even the villains would normally hurt babies, though you might have a point there.

"But I'm not a hero," I said to her, drilling the barrel of my gun deeper into her back. "Just an old killer hired to do some wet work. And if it's for Noire's sake, I won't think twice about burying one or two of your lot. Or all."

How many people do you think I've looked at through the scope of my rifle? Did all of those people deserve their terrible end? No. Did any one of them? I wouldn't know. But when it came the time to squeeze the trigger, they'd all turn from faces to target circles, all the same. After living my life like that day after day, year after year, do you think I will suddenly develop sympathy for certified villains?

"I don't get what you're talking about," the underling squirmed nervously, "but do you really think that 'Noire'-whoever would approve of you doing stuff like this for her sake!?"

"..."

Maybe she wouldn't.

No, she probably wouldn't.

She wouldn't go about things my way, not if there was any way to avoid it.

But that's just the thing.

There might not always be another way.

Unless someone else took care of it on her behalf, then one day, sooner or later, she could wind up where I stood today. Put on the spot, forced to go against her nature, her own heart, to do something she absolutely loathed, for the good of her nation.

I know, if that day were to come, she would do it.

She would hate it, but she would do it nevertheless, and hate herself forever for doing it. Because no matter what, Noire would always put her nation and the people above herself. Her iron determination couldn't be belittled. Even if it meant turning against her dearest friends, she would do it to save her people. And for that reason, I couldn't afford to get sweet.

Having Noire resent me would be the worst.

The worst of the worst.

Knowing that I did what I did for her sake, she would probably forgive me on the outside, but still be crushed within. I wouldn't want that to happen, I really wouldn't.

But I'll rather be hated than force the same fate on the girl I love.

That's right—Noire should always keep smiling.

If only I could protect her smile, then I would dive head-first into the shadows, with no regrets.

"You really are messed-up, huh!" the underling was starting to get unnerved. "Hell, you're even more messed-up than I am! Fine! Fine, I'll tell you! I don't want to get done in by a schizo like you, and I don't want to stand here listening to your creepy monologue either! That Ran-pig is in the hangar in the south-east corner of the base. The weapon is there too! See, I told you! So let me go!"

Oh, that was surprisingly easy.

I release my hold and take a step back.

"Fine. Go."

A doubtful look on her face, the underling glances at me over her shoulder.

"Is that really fine?" she asked, in an almost disappointed tone. "You're really gonna let me go? Just like that?"

"Yes, I'll let you go, so hurry up and get out of here. This base is going down, so unless you want to burn with it, then you'd better scamper as far as you can."

"Well, I'll take you up on that offer then! Laters!"

The underling wasted no time fleeing and soon disappeared from view.

Even if she was a failure as a security guard, she sure knew how to run.

"Well then..."

I suppose I should thank my luck with how well that went.

I now know where Ran-Ran is being held. I also know what the enemy is doing here. At this rate, I could be through with this unpleasant business sooner than I thought.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Slow but steady, I slipped past the fences and patrol routes. For being the hidden installation of a presumed-ruined criminal organization, the factory area was unnervingly huge, with several major buildings, and other parts I wasn't even sure what they were for. Even with a detailed map, navigating my way to the destination would've taken time and effort, and I only had the underling's vague instructions to go by.

"Hm…?"

The activity in the base appeared to suddenly pick up. There were armed guards gathering in the large central yard from every direction, as though preparing for a parade. I almost get spotted by a few dashing out from around the corner of a building. Did somebody sound an alarm? They hadn't realized I was there yet, had they? Considering these numbers, if they went on full alert, it'd make my mission practically impossible. My pulse picking up at the thought, I took cover behind a blue cargo container, clutching my gun.

The guards passed me by without an incident.

No sirens were sounded.

It seemed they weren't looking for me, after all.

Don't tell me they're really going to throw a parade?

I watched the events unfold from my hiding place and saw an envoy of vehicles enter the base from outside, straight through the front gate. They had to have been some big shots, it seemed the guards were putting on a ceremony just for the purpose of receiving them. It wasn't the cavalry anyway, seeing as no one even thought about trying to stop them.

The truck leading the rest of the envoy stopped in the middle of the yard, the rest behind it, and the guards quickly lined up in form beside it.

Soon, the door was kicked open and a peculiar figure stepped out of the transport.

Clad in a bizarre fantasy attire, it was a tall woman with sharp-looking, blue eyes and short, bluish hair. Giving the base around her a quick glance—making me quickly shrink back behind the container—she stepped forward to address the leader of the guards.

"We've obtained the item. Take it to that pig and tell her to hurry it up."

As she spoke, the woman handed something to the guard, a small parcel.

"Roger!" He wasted no time striking a salute and hurried away with it.

I think it wouldn't be too much to assume that guard would lead me straight to Ran Ran...I wanted to follow after him, but it was difficult to move out from my position without being seen, with all the people in the yard between us. And more trouble appeared at that moment.

"Boss! Boss!"

Someone came running across the yard, drawing everyone's attention.

Oh, it's the underling from earlier. Didn't she promise to run away...?

"What is it?" the woman who appeared to be the leader, and clearly displeased for being interrupted, turned to the underling with a chilling glare.

"Boss, we have an intruder!" the delinquent quickly explained. "Some lass broke in a minute ago! I did all I could to stop her, but she somehow managed to slip by! She's still somewhere in here, I'm sure of it!"

Who managed to get away? Looks like I got stabbed in the back. It's not like I didn't see this coming, but it was still pretty stupid of me to let her walk.

"An intruder…?" the leader raised her brows. "A lass? What are you talking about?"

"I bet it's one of the CPUs' buddies! I've a vague feeling I've seen the face somewhere before, but can't remember it now. Anyway, shouldn't we do something? This nasty feeling in my gut tells me we're gonna have big trouble coming in! I've seen movies like this before! Maybe we ought to bail?"

The leader didn't appear to share the underling's concerns.

"You'd have the whole base evacuated because of this little intruder? Now, when we are so close to fulfilling our objective? Don't be daft! Even the CPUs can do nothing to stop us at this point."

"So you're just gonna leave her be?" The underling spreads her arms, looking stupefied.

"That's not what I said, fool. That spy of yours will be taken care of in due time. Whoever she is, my hand-picked death squad will make short work of her. How long are you going to doze off in there? Get out!"

At the woman's order, the truck wobbled as three strange, uneven figures stepped out. How they were even able to fit in the cockpit together is a mystery to me.

One was a giant, who looked more like a crocodile than a person, clad in a thick-looking armor with spikes.

"Is it lunch time yet!" it roared in a loud voice. "I'm hungry! I'm hungry! The journey was so long I'm downright starving! Give me something to eat right now, before I'll eat my own tail!"

"Could you be any more obnoxious?" Another one, a creepy-looking figure resembling a silvery robot told the crocodile. "My delicate sensors will go haywire, if you keep shouting in my ear like that. Who's going to pay for the maintenance? You? Better yet, pay up in advance!"

"You break too easily, fool!" the crocodile responded. "You should take an example of my sturdiness! No matter how time passes, my trusted armor never loses its luster!"

"You're both noisy. Step out of the way." The third one interrupted the other two. The last one looked unexpectedly normal, a slender girl dressed in what resembled a traditional school sailor uniform, albeit perhaps a tad too revealing for public display...No, compared to the others around, she looked so normal that it ironically made her stand out the most.

"You lot," the leader commanded to the creep trio. "You heard the report. We have an intruder. Hurry up and catch her. Don't even think about food until you bring me her head."

"You're a monster!" the crocodile cried at her. "Can I at least take light snack with me? And if you only want the head, does that mean I can eat the rest of the body?"

"I can only hope and pray I'll catch the intruder before you do," the sailor girl groans. "Otherwise _my_ appetite will be ruined."

"If it's all right with you two…" the robot almost timidly raised his hand. "After you're done, might I keep the legs? The shoes I won't need though...You can take those. Just the legs, okay?"

Shivers.

Those creeps were creepy enough to make a battle-hardened veteran like me shudder.

Did the Syndicate always have gross types like these hanging around, or did they only join up recently?

Well, no matter who is my opponent, my mission will remain the same.

I held my hand up to my ear and contacted Jinguji.

"I'm listening," she picked up with no delay.

"I take it you saw that?" I asked her.

"Indeed, I did." I could picture Jinguji nodding, her usual polite smile unchanged regardless of what she witnessed. "Looks like your mission has become a level more complicated now. Be careful as you move on from there and try not to be discovered."

I'll be careful even without being told.

"Do you have any idea who those people were?" I asked her. "I can't remember ever seeing them back over my days in the Syndicate. Not that I ever knew who all the other members were."

"You're in luck. We do not have much, but there is a clue to the identity of the apparent mastermind. During the Zero Dimension incident, when the world was changed and the Syndicate infiltrated Lastation's basilicom, that woman was among the fake staff members. When Lady Noire and Lady Uni defeated their boss, cutting their connection to Affimax, that woman escaped, together with a few other remaining members. It appears she's been working hard to keep the Syndicate running behind the scenes ever since. The name is...I believe she called herself Minako."

Hm. A fake name, no doubt. If she's among the former top brass of the organisation, it's no wonder I've no recollection of her. Important figures like that wouldn't ever directly deal with the "assets" like myself.

"What about the other three?" I asked, watching as the guards and level bosses, having received their orders, quietly went their separate ways.

"Our team is looking into their identities as we speak," Jinguji answered. "Mercenaries are a colorful bunch, and due to the nature of their work, it's difficult to keep track of their personal histories. I shall contact you again once we discover more. Since we know so little about them, for the time being, I propose that you avoid contact with them."

"Are you that worried that I would lose?"

Since they were fighters with unique designs, formally introduced in a cutscene, I suppose they were just as strong as they looked. But regardless of their strength, I did feel slightly offended to have Jinguji suspect my chances...Ah, here I go again, saying meta things like that. Ms Neptune's influence had to have been rubbing off on me. Then again, Noire seems to be biased towards that kind of characters, so maybe I should take notes...?

"I'm not saying I'm worried about how you'll do, as I'm not," Jinguji calmly refuted. "I do have the utmost confidence in your skills. But avoiding unnecessary risks is a basic rule of the battlefield, am I wrong? Your mission objective doesn't require you to defeat those three, so there is no meaning in going out of your way to challenge them."

She did have a point. I was picturing myself rounding up the villains and delivering them to Noire in a pretty little package, so that she would praise me, but maybe that's going too far. This was a secret mission, after all, so I couldn't boast about it to anyone, even if I wanted to.

"Yes, I'll try and be more careful," I assured Jinguji. "Now that they've been alerted to my presence, things are going to get troublesome enough without picking fights on purpose."

"Speaking of which, how exactly do you plan to move from here on? I reckon, the base being on high alert, they're going to carry out extensive patrols, on top of those three roaming the place."

"It's okay, I think. I happen to have just the right method for situations such as this."

It wasn't the first time I had sneak past tight security. You could say I've been trained specifically for such scenarios, so it's only natural that I'd have a tried-and-true way to work around them.

"Out of personal curiosity," Jinguji said, "may I ask what kind of a method would that be? Ninjutsu? A magic item to facilitate teleportation?"

"Oh, I'm just going to use something to camouflage myself, that's all," I answered while taking out the magic item in question.

"Camouflage...?"


	9. Chapter 9

9

There was only one larger building in the south-eastern corner of the factory area, which looked like it might house a super weapon inside. I decided to take my chances with it. There was no trusting that liar's words, but the vague description she gave me was the only lead I had on finding Ran Ran. If I had to go through all the buildings in this enormous place, then might as well begin there.

I took the bottom-down approach, climbed up a fire ladder and slipped in through a window near the edge of the roof.

Once inside, I discovered a vast hall, where large machines and robotics were busy at work putting together even larger machines. It seemed the intel on the Syndicate manufacturing weapons here was right. That made this facility the one where they put together all the individual parts produced elsewhere in the base. Since it stood closest to the bay, the finished products could then be conveniently loaded onto ships and transported anywhere in Gamindustry.

It was just as bad as we'd feared, if not worse.

I didn't even want to imagine the intended purpose of all those weapons.

I spied no guards stationed among the production lines. It seemed a bit odd, but then again, reaching here would expect the intruder to have already outmanoeuvred all the other guards and security systems in the entire base. So placing a few more troops here wouldn't have made much of a difference. Rather, they'd just get in the way of the workers.

In other words, I, having outmanoeuvred all the guards and security systems in the base, could finally afford to relax a little.

Standing up, I put away the cardboard box under which I'd been hiding and took a closer look at my surroundings, using Nepgear's eyepatch gadget. If Ran Ran really was here, then that meant the "secret weapon" the Syndicate was preparing should've also been in this hall, among all the other stuff.

Not that I could see anything that looked particularly super weapon-ish from where I stood.

There were a ton of regular combat droids, gun, cannons, and a lot stranger things, but nothing that would've posed a serious threat against any of the four nations. I decided to set the enemy's big project aside and instead focus on finding Ran Ran...

There were several people here and there in the hall, operating and supervising the assembly lines, and doing whatever it was that they'd been brought here to do.

Even though I called them 'people' for simplicity's sake, in reality, they were all…

"/(' · w · ')/ *oink*"

"\\(' · w · ')\ *oink*"

"/(' · w · ')/ *oink*"

"\\(' · w · ')\ *oink*"

"/(' · w · ')/ *oink*"

"\\(' · w · ')\ *oink*"

Pigs.

I could only hope that the camera in my eyepatch worked as it was meant to, because words alone failed to describe the view.

I had nothing to back it up, but it didn't seem to me these pigs were with the Syndicate. More likely, they were innocent outsiders, who had been abducted and brought here as cheap labor. They toiled away dejectedly, without paying much attention to me or anything that went on around them, as if they completely lacked a mind of their own.

The problem was, if Ran Ran was among them, how was I expected to tell her apart from the rest? This may be a rude thing to say, but...to me, they all looked practically the same.

I guess there was no other way but to ask.

Approaching one of the pigs working on a nearby control panel, I tapped her lightly on the shoulder,

"Excuse me, could I trouble you for a moment? Do you know if there's someone called Ran Ran somewhere in here?"

"Ran Ran?" the pig turned and looked at me blankly. "Is there something you want of this Ran Ran?"

"...Um, by chance, are you Ran Ran...?"

"Yes? Who else would Ran Ran be if not Ran Ran? (' · w · ') Why...?"

That was quick…

"I'm with the Lastation basilicom," I told her. "I'm here to get you out."

"Someone has come to save Ran Ran at last? Ran Ran is so happy she could cry. (' ; w ; ')"

"It's too soon to celebrate. Now that we have the chance, can you tell me quick what the Syndicate is building in here? Do you know where they're hiding their secret weapon?"

—"How about I answer that for you instead?"

"Eh—!?" I looked up, but too late.

We'd already been surrounded.

Looking down on us from the upper floor and walkways coursing over the assembly lines in the hall were the eccentric figures I'd just seen in the previous scene. They sure wasted no time appearing again. The shadowy leader of the Syndicate remnants, Minako...as well her three stooges. Admitted, they got me by surprise.

"Bahahaha!" The crocodile-looking monstrosity laughed. "I bet you thought we'd show up one-by-one at evenly paced intervals like some cheap chapter-enders! Too bad! You get to face all of us at once! Ho,ho,ho!"

"There is little meaning in us running here and there looking for you, is there?" the robot standing next to the crocodile snidely added. "Since the underling was kind enough to tell us what you're looking for, the easiest way is just to wait right here."

"Well, you did make it slightly further than the previous Lastation lackeys, so I'll give you my praise. Pachi-pachi," the sailor girl sluggishly clapped her hands.

"I see. So it was a trap." I tried to look tough, but I did sincerely hope we could avoid a situation like this. "Being able to mask your presence so well, I suppose you lot are a cut above the riffraff."

"You can skip the hard-boiled act," the leader, Minako, mocked me in a tone of superiority. "Your chances of making it out of here alive are nothing short of nil. You know that as well as we do, K-Sha."

I didn't expect to get addressed by name.

"You know who I am…?"

"Why, of course I do," she said. "You may not know who I am, but I know all about you. Isn't it a given that the top brass is aware of their assets? And what a fine asset you were, until you turned your back on us. If you hadn't, we'd be ruling over the world right now. What was the reason for that again? Did we not give you the recognition you deserved? You practically gave a face to our company, was that not enough for you?"

"..."

"No, never mind. Let bygones be bygones, as they say. I harbor no hard feelings towards you. What do you say, K-Sha, join us again and I'll forget about the past—"

"I refuse."

That's one sales pitch I don't feel like listening to the end. Not interested.

"And why is that?" Minako asked. "I am offering you the opportunity and free hands to do what you do best. Is life as a virtuous little school girl that much better? I should tell you this now that I have the chance. Soon enough, this nation will be plunged into the midst of unprecedented chaos. There will be no ordinary everyday life left for anyone. Pick our side and you'll get a headstart with the winning team. Not a bad choice, even if I say so myself. Since all the other cards mean ruination."

In that case, I have all the more reason to say no.

After all, I don't want to live in Lastation without Noire in it.

"I've finally found my own way of doing things. I don't need to answer to anyone anymore," I told her. "Moreover, a lot of people have tried to ruin Gamindustry in the past. The criminal organization ASIC. The Deity of Sin, Arfoire. Affimax. Kurome Ankouboshi. People vastly more powerful than you. Yet, every one of them was stopped in the end. What could you possibly have that will change things?"

"I'm glad that you asked," the villain replied with a wry smile. "Take a look behind you! What all these pigs have built for me!"

At her words, the floor under my feet began to tremble violently.

What I'd taken for a large piece of unknown machinery or a support structure filling the center of the hall turned out to be a shell only, hiding a different sort of a mechanism inside.

As the halves of the shell split apart and were pulled away, the secret underneath became slowly revealed under the spotlights.

"What is that…?" I couldn't help but gasp at the sight of that monstrosity.

"Once long ago, an ancient civilization built the weapons called Killamachines," Minako explained. "They were too powerful to be outright destroyed and had to be sealed away by the CPUs of the time. Investigating numerous ruins and pieces of technology that were left behind from those times, we've managed to create something even deadlier than those relics! Behold! A weapon to surpass the Killamachines! A METAL GEAR DOGOO!"

" **NURA~!"**

It's tiny eyes flashing red, the gargantuan mountain of metal was activated.

What a...hideous thing.

It's almost more than I can bear to look at.

Anyone who would want to build something so terrible would have to be insane. Irredeemable.

"Combining the aerodynamic shape of a dogoo with the durability and destructive power of a Killamachine, we've succeeded in creating the ultimate weapon. Its large body can house the most potent weaponry science can provide us, and endure any conceivable attack from the outside, while remaining fully mobile. It can be deployed to any continent at will, and not even the CPUs can hold a candle to its might."

"You've got to be kidding me..."

Judging by the looks of it, the thing had to weigh tons and tons. How could it even move? I couldn't see it fitting through the doorway...

"For a long time, finidng a suitable power source to operate its huge mass posed a problem for us," the woman said. "But recently, we happened to discover just the right thing. And to think it was something this small..."

Minako held out her hand, holding a tiny, sparkling object on her open palm.

"That's..."

If my memory serves me right, isn't that one of the Share Crystals from the Zero Dimension?

Share Crystal—jewel incorporating people's faith in their CPU...Producing such a miraculous item was incredibly hard in our world, but in the parallel dimension that became in contact with ours a short while ago, Share Crystals could be found lying around in larger quantities. But how could these people have obtained such a thing? It didn't just get randomly carried over by a monster, did it?

"Finding the right method to harness the power of this thing was another headache, but now, at long last, we've made a breakthrough in our research. With this, the M.G.D. will be completed and we are ready to wreak chaos everywhere in Lastation—no, everywhere in Gamindustry! After defeating Lady Black Heart, we will take over this nation's regiment and use Lastation as a foil for all our future operations. In no time at all, the nations will all be at each others' throats, in a rush to tear apart the ugly, frail peace they've been barely holding together."

What a disgusting plan.

Not only did they plan to bring harm to my Noire and her nation, but also to exploit her name as a cover for their villainy.

"I won't let you do it!" I raised my gun and undid the safety in one fluid motion, taking aim at the enemy.

"I was afraid you would say that," Minako said, not looking all that worried. "Then, there is no other role left for you but to die here. Goodbye, K-Sha."

Without a separate signal, the three enemy agents jumped down.

I had no time to take the shot, with swift attacks coming my way.

I felt a bit bad for going against Jinguji's advice in such reckless manner, but if fighting the lot of them was the only way out of this situation, then fight I would.

My Golden Power may have waned, but I'd appreciate if you didn't take me too lightly. I don't need any cheats to get by on the battlefield...

...Or, that was what I wanted to say.

Though I did an excellent job at sounding courageous, I was fully aware of being hopelessly outnumbered. It might have not been a problem against simple guards, but as expected, those three were powerful. The problem of my rapidly depleting HP aside, with one-on-three, I didn't even get a turn to attack! When I did, my bullets appeared to do no perceivable damage. Were their defenses just that tough, or was there some kind of a trick to it? Where should I be aiming...? Don't tell me this was one of those scripted encounters that you had no choice but to lose for narrative purposes?

This could be bad.

All too soon, I found myself completely cornered.

I anxiously grit my teeth. At this rate, there's a chance I won't be returning to Noire's side again…Ran Ran won't be saved. That gargantuan weapon will be unleashed upon the world. And I...will never be able to pay off my debt.

"HUAAAAA!"

The creepy armored crocodile jumped to deliver the finishing blow. The hammer of my gun let out a hollow click, the magazine was emptied. The other two were blocking the exits. But before the weapon aimed at me, my attention was drawn by something else.

The floor of the hall was—giving in?

Maybe it was damaged during our battle, or maybe it became unable to support the weight of the assembled super weapon, but with a loud boom, the floor on our end of the hall suddenly caved in right beneath us.

There was a cavern of some kind right underneath, with only a thin layer of land to cover it. It appeared the facility had been built atop of it, the engineers ignorant of the risk.

The enemy managed to leap to safety in time, but I, exhausted and out of breath, had no excess strength left for such acrobatics. My fingers failed to gain hold of anything, and together with the debris, I fell into the seemingly bottomless darkness below.

Is this the end...?

After a few seconds of chaotic, uncontrolled descent, I become suddenly submerged in freezing cold water. As it carried me away in a violent subterranean torrent, my consciousness gradually faded to black.


	10. Chapter 10

10

I stirred at the sound of birds singing in the trees high above me and in my confusion became convinced it was morning and that I was running late for school. Oh no. Unless I get up quick and get dressed, I'm going to have to eat my breakfast toast on the way...Then, a splash of cold, salty sea water brought me back to reality.

Coughing, lifting my aching, numbed body, I discovered that I'd been washed ashore somewhere far, far away from civilization. There were no buildings, no ships, no planes in view. Only beach, jungle, and the sea.

Lastation aside, was I even in Gamindustry anymore?

I hadn't turned into Urashima Taro, had I?

Dragging myself away from the water, I looked for the device in my ear, to contact Jinguji. Thank goodness, it was still there. I could only hope it was made waterproof too.

"K-Sha here. Do you read me? GK, do you read me? Ms Jinguji...?"

There was a moment of unnerving silence before the recipient suddenly picked up.

"At last, we have contact," Jinguji's voice said with audible relief. "I was worried we'd lost you. Yandere Serpent, report your status."

"..."

I never agreed to using that codename. That one the least of all!

"My apologies," she said. "It's been more than five hours since we last heard from you and I already feared the worst. Your eyepatch camera went down as well. Are you all right?"

"I'm definitely not okay, but at least I'm alive," I answered her. "I'm sorry, it looks like I messed up..."

"It happens. What matters is that you're safe. That means not everything is lost yet."

"There's still something we can do…?"

Five hours is a long time. I doubt the enemy has been sitting quietly and waiting for me to come back.

"There's still hope," the Oracle firmly said, and for once I find her formal tone soothing. "The collapse in the factory not only saved you but also put a significant delay to their plans. Thanks to that, it took the enemy several hours to get their super weapon out of the factory. Based on our intelligence, it's since been loaded aboard a ship. Based on the ship's present heading and the recorded conversation, we surmise they plan to deliver it by sea to our western shores and frame their strike as an assault from Leanbox."

"Is that why they kidnapped workforce from Leanbox? Like Ran Ran."

"Possibly," Jinguji confirmed. "I wouldn't be surprised if they had some incriminating evidence prepared that will connect their assault to Leanbox, for it to conveniently surface after the deed. By our investigation, it seems they've also used other parts imported from the country to build their weapons. This way, we're facing a serious political crisis in our nearby future. Lady Noire and Lady Vert wouldn't start a war, of course, but if the Syndicate manages to take over Lastation's government during their strike, then the conclusion is inevitable. In that case, it's only a matter of time before the other nations are dragged into the conflict."

And there'll be an all-out war…

"What can we do then?" I asked.

"Our job is simple. We must sink their ship and the weapon aboard it, before it can reach its destination. Now that you've reactivated your communicator, we've been able to pinpoint your location using the GPS. Fortunately, there appears to be a private airport not too far from where you are now. We'll send a jet there to retrieve you, and then drop you on the enemy ship. How do you feel? Do you think you can reach the airport on foot?"

"Well, I'll do something about it..."

I can't say I haven't seen better days, but quitting halfway was obviously not an option. Not while those villains were left on the loose.

"Very well. We'll send the coordinates to your eyepatch. Hang in there."

In her usual curt manner, Jinguji ended the communication.

How about something like, "I'm so happy you're alive"? Then again, hearing that from anyone other than Noire wasn't going to lift my spirits in the slightest.

[CHIRP, CHIRP]

I'd barely made it back up to my feet when the communicator made more noise.

"K-Sha here. What is it...?"

"K-Sha!" A loud voice immediately pierced my ear. "You're alive! Thank goodness! I was so worried...!"

Ah, it's Uni.

"What were you thinking, walking straight into their trap and then trying to fight it out!" She wasted no time scolding me angrily. "Do you have a death wish or what!? How on earth am I supposed to explain it to my sister, if you never come back…!?"

Oh my, she seemed seriously upset.

"I'm really sorry, Uni," I try to calm here down. "I didn't exactly plan for things to turn out that way, it just happened..."

There are no certainties on the battlefield. Sometimes luck is with you, sometimes it's not. And sometimes you are only left with bad options, no matter what.

"I know that!" she retorted in a dejected tone. "But you have to be more careful than that! You aren't fighting just for yourself, you know? It's not the old you out there, remember? A lot of people will be troubled if something happens to you! So don't even dare to think that it might be okay for you to not come home! Aren't you supposed to be a pro? Get your act together then, and quick!"

Ah, being scolded by Uni...I should've been reflecting on my poor behavior, yet I found just listening to her upset voice mysteriously heartwarming.

That's right, this isn't like the past.

Before I realized, I'd slipped back to the mentality, where I was only an expendable asset. But I'm not just a stand for my gun.

My fight is not just for myself.

My life is not just for myself.

To not let down the faith of those close to me, I'd better get used to this new way of thinking.

"I promise I'll try to be more careful from now on, so you don't need to worry about me, Uni."

"W-who's worried! I know you wouldn't die even if you're killed! Yes, I know your stupid toughness all too well from personal experience. Just, it would be a real bother and a pain in the ass if you messed up, so at least try not to! And not 'Uni', it's 'Black Sister', you hear!"

"Yes, yes..."

"How are your wounds?"

"Oh? Um, I don't think they're anything life-threatening..."

"That's not what I'm asking. Listen up, there are no vendors out there so that you could buy potions or whatever. Even minor wounds, as they accumulate, can bring on a huge handicap. I'll walk you through treating yourself, so pay attention now."

Obviously, I'm aware. I'm used to treating myself on the field too. So long as I don't get hungry enough to need to eat snakes, things should be fine.

"Snakes…?"

Never mind that.

But more importantly,

"I didn't know you had medical experience, Uni?"

"It's not my specialty or anything, but knowing how to treat your body is pretty important for adventuring, so I had Compa teach me a little. I may not have skills to match a medical student, but I should be able to help keep you in shape through this mission. I didn't introduce myself as a 'Medic' just to sound cool, you know."

"That's reassuring. Then, Uni, I'll be in your hands."

"Don't phrase it weirdly like that! And again, don't call me Uni here!"

Following my friend's instructions, I was able to patch myself up, somehow.

Looks like I owe her, big time. Just treating her to a parfait might not cut it, I may even have to part with a rare item from my arms collection. Aww...

"Well then..."

Able to move normally again, I was starting to see a bit of that "hope" Jinguji mentioned.

I'd better get to that airport as quickly as I can and put an end to this fishy business. With those thoughts, following the coordinates sent to me, I left beach and head into the nearby woods.


	11. Chapter 11

11

The guide had me wade through a light tropical forest zone. It was wet all around, without anything to call a road, so I was occasionally forced into murky, waist-deep water. The foul swamp odor filled my nostrils. On top of that, there were monsters crawling everywhere. I was anything but dressed for swamp-exploring, and the dirty water was stinging my wounds, but going around would've cost me precious hours more. For now, I just had to put up with the discomfort. Gamindustry's future depended on it.

After this is over, the first thing I'm going to do is take a nice, long, steaming hot bath...That's not a death flag, is it?

"Hm…?"

As I made my slow progress through the area, I suddenly became aware of a strange detail.

All the birds that had been busily making noise up in the treetops ever since I woke up ashore—had gone quiet. There was a discomforting, foreboding silence hanging between the tall trees, with only the dull splish-splash of my steps on the wet ground violating it.

It was anything but natural.

Unnatural, yet also natural.

After all…

—"I know you're hiding there, so why don't you step out where I can see you?"

I stopped and called out.

And soon enough…

A weird figure appeared from behind a nearby tree, standing on a branch high above the ground level.

An enemy.

It was that robot.

A skeletal, streamlined, sharp figure of silver, reflecting open animosity.

"Oh? As expected of the former champion of the Syndicate," the figure nodded approvingly. "It seems that in my rush to kill you and get out of this smelly place, I failed to hide my presence properly."

"Well, this is pretty unexpected to me," I said, looking up at the enemy. "Why did the clean, sparkling retro-robot end up showing up in a jungle map like this? Considering the setting, I thought the crocodile would be the first one to come."

"I won't fault you for thinking that way, but I'm afraid my slow-witted companion would be useless precisely because it's a place like this. The only one of us with sensors delicate enough to pick up signs of life over a larger radius is this me, Bartok of the Three Aces. Which is why our ever wise commander has dispatched me to confirm your corpse. Too bad you are alive. It seems I must make you a corpse first, before I may confirm it. Well, bad for you."

"No, I'm definitely the lucky one," I said, raising my gun. "Now I don't have to waste time thinking which one of you to terminate first."

"Hmph," the robot, Bartok, shrugged. "How a very tool-like response. You really are unable to see the big picture, aren't you?"

"The big picture...? Are you trying to say there's some kind of a grand goal behind the mindless destruction you pursue?"

"Why, of course there is," he said. "It is only mindless to you people, because you have no idea what we are fighting for or against. You cannot even begin to fathom it. You're paranoid, compulsively frightened over everything new and different, only ever seeking to deny and reject. Because using your limited brain and adapting to the inevitable change is too much asked of you. It is not us, who are picking the fight. It is people like you, relics of a bygone age."

This is absurd.

"We're not the ones trying to bring all of Gamindustry to ruin with that ridiculous super weapon! How could anyone be expected to 'adapt' to senseless death and destruction?"

"Then why don't you ask yourself, why is such a super weapon—why are death and destruction necessary in the first place?"

"Huh...?" How could an abomination like that ever be necessary?

"The current rulers of this world are leading their followers to perdition, yet turn a blind eye to all differing views that might offer better, more lasting solutions. If we cannot have our voice heard through the usual channels, if we remain ever ignored and despised, then what other way is there for us but to resort to force? Either way, Gamindustry is doomed. Because of mistaken leadership, or because of our cleansing flames. Only, one of these paths may still serve as grounds for a new beginning. Ashes nourish! From the ashes, new life grows!"

"I can't believe it..." I feel like I'm going to get a migraine. "You're trying to paint yourselves as the good guys now?"

"We were the good guys from the beginning!" Bartok exclaims. "Say, have you ever thought about DLCs?"

"DLCs...?" I frown.

I definitely didn't expect a term like that to get brought up. Downloadable Content—that's what the acronym stands for, right?

While I remained lost in confusion, the robot went on,

"Why is it necessary to split up games for episodic releases? Why must the player be forced to pay separately for content that should've been included on disc from day one? Why must features that I bought a game for be locked behind a paywall? Isn't that weird? What else can you call it but a scam? It is a scam, a fraud, yet perfectly legal and widely accepted. It's become fully embraced by developers and gamers alike everywhere around the world, upheld as the new industry standard! Can you believe that!? The dumb sheeple are being misled, and they don't even realize it—all so that the select few companies could make even more money!"

"But DLCs weren't made to split up games," I argued. "Don't they exist so that players can experience even more content for a title they enjoy, for a lower cost, without having to wait years and years for a proper sequel? Isn't that a good thing?"

"That is nothing but a hollow ideal!" Bartok shouts back at me. "A perverted utopia! Don't you see? Downloadable content isn't made as a thank you to the fans for their support, as it should be, but it's already planned and produced before the main game is even released! Regardless of whether it will be commercially successful or not! Not only is it a blatant cash-grab, it's also taking away development resources that should've gone into making the title itself! Now, instead of a full, polished game—like those memorable masterpieces of old—we only get incomplete, disjointed pieces, with the repair kit sold separately. Who can accept such a thing! The world must wake up and see this treachery for what it is!"

"You're out of your mind," I tightened the grip on my weapon. "How will terrorizing and scorning people help them see your side of things? If anything, it'll ensure no one wants to be associated with your kind. Isn't the truth that the ones truly frightened of change—are you guys?"

"What…?"

"True, downloadable content and expansions may still be lacking and mishandled as a concept, but no idea is fully functional the moment it's conceived. What shapes its future are not guns or super weapons, but the markets. Either the players themselves will embrace the format, or else abandon it, forcing the producers to rethink their ways. And what's more..."

"...What's more…?"

"...You don't need to buy any DLC, if you don't really want to."

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH!" The robot let out an ear-shattering roar of anger. "There's no way I cannot buy the DLC for a game I like, out of my love for video games! Yes, I have to buy them, buy, buy, buy, and it kills me inside! It shouldn't have to be that way! Only once the concept of DLC and expansions have been thoroughly eradicated from this world will I know peace! Now, prepare to die, you tool of stagnation!"

Pointing his arms at me, the robot, Bartok quickly launched his attack.

To be precise—he launched his arms.

Detached from the shoulder joints, his pointy metal arms shot forth and homed in on their target—me—propelled by miniature rockets. Not just his arms, he shot his legs as well. The disembodied arms and legs further split into smaller parts, and in no time, I have a whole cloud of cybernetic body parts flying my way.

"Hahahaha!" The villain laughs. "How's that! I've become the very thing I despise! My attacks themselves are split into countless parts, delivered whenever and wherever! You may avoid one or two, but your human eyes cannot possibly keep track of all of them! And any one of those missiles can take your fragile life! Are you terrified yet? Said your farewells? Then—"

"—Then what?"

An attack like that—I don't need my eyes to confirm it.

Taking out both my guns, I closed my eyes, took a fragment of a second to focus and…

BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM

There.

"I-impossible!" I heard Bartok gasp. "S-she shot them all down…? My arms, my legs!"

What's there to be surprised by? Shooting moving targets, how is that any different from the mercenaries' basic training? And without bragging too much, I'd say I've gone a bit past the basic level by now. Hitting all the targets blindfolded? I could've done that much half asleep.

But more importantly.

"Haven't you realized your position yet?" I asked my stunned opponent.

"Eh…?"

Without arms or legs, what else could he do now? Only kept hovering by weak propulsion rockets in the remaining stumps of his limbs, Bartok had practically turned into a big floating target, with no way left to defend himself.

"Darn iiiiiit! This wasn't meant to happen…!" He shrieked.

Suppose I'll tie him up to a tree for now and ask Jinguji to send someone to pick him up later.

"Just tell me one thing..." the captured enemy ace asked as I left him.

"What?" I paused briefly, without bothering to look back.

"I thought you ran out of ammo during the fight at the factory...There was no way for you to resupply anywhere meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere, and you don't seem to be carrying any spare ammunition with you...So how come you had enough bullets left to shoot down all my rockets…?"

So that's what it's about?

You'd use up your last lines in the story for that?

The answer was so simple, so obvious, I didn't even feel like putting it into words.

But, well, I suppose I'll humor my defeated opponent just this once.

"Isn't it a given that the protagonist's starting weapon has unlimited ammo...?"


	12. Chapter 12

12

Getting out of the wetland, the rest of the hike went quickly. When I finally reached the airport, the promised ride was already there waiting for me.

Although, we'd been calling it an "airport", but now that I saw it with my own eyes, it was only a short, makeshift landing strip cleared beside a farm. The sleek military grade aircraft looked undeniably out of place on it. But to me now, that sight was better than an oasis in the desert. Being able to rest my legs and catch my breath, if even only for a moment, was nothing short of a preview of heaven. If only someone had arranged me a change of clothes too...I wonder if the swamp stench is ever going to come off...?

"Then, allow me to go over the operation," Jinguji briefed me via a convenient video call in the cabin of the jet, as it took off. "Following our unfortunate encounter at the factory, the enemy has loaded their super weapon, dubbed as, 'Metal Gear Dogoo', or M.G.D. for short, aboard a ship disguised as a regular tanker. Remote reconnaissance says they're passing the southern peninsula as we speak. We estimate they will reach Lastation's west coast by early tomorrow morning."

And we are to somehow stop that? There's not a whole lot of the day left.

"The situation is indeed dire," Jinguji said. "It's the holiday season and there are several resorts built along the coastline. The moment that ship reaches the shore with that dreadful thing, there will be no holding back the chaos. We'll have a full-fledged mass panic and widespread destruction in our hands. There'll be no avoiding casualties either. One way or another, the ship must be stopped before that."

I wish it were that simple.

"The jet will catch up with them in about half an hour. The sun will have well set by then. To keep the enemy from detecting your approach, we will do a high altitude airdrop. You will make your approach in the dark. Get on the tanker the best as you can, then relocate Ran Ran once more. We've learned that the enemy has brought her along to run last minute calibrations on the M.G.D. Learn from Ran Ran if it has a weakness and make it inoperable, by whatever means necessary. If you manage that, the enemy's master plan will have failed. It would be appreciated if you could escort her to safety afterwards, but we can't afford to get greedy at this point. Your priority will be disabling the enemy's super weapon, first and foremost. If it looks too unreasonable to do both, then you may have to give up on the idea of saving the scientist."

"Um...You mean, I may have to run and abandon Ran Ran, if things get bad…?"

Giving her false hope time after time again, only to leave her to death, would that be any different from pulling the trigger myself?

"Of course, we hope it won't come to that," Jinguji said. "But let us be realists. The ability to make tough calls like that in tight moments is one of the reasons why I requested your aid for this mission, K-Sha, and not any of our other allies. If Lady Noire were in your place, I believe she would never consider giving up on an ally, not under any circumstances. But in desperate times like these, that benevolence could become her undoing. And mean the deaths of a lot more people."

So basically, you're saying I'm a cruel person, who wouldn't think twice about abandoning another person? And because my cruelty has use, I have a reason to be here.

That's hardly praise.

I wonder if Jinguji really loathes me.

For what I used to do. For who I am...

"K-Sha? Are you still listening?"

"Oh, I am!" I hurried to shake off the negativity building up within my chest. "Then, so long as the enemy's super weapon becomes useless, it's a mission complete?"

"Yes. That thing is our number one threat. You could say it's the symbol of their entire organization, they depend on it. Personally, I'd prefer to see the whole tanker to go down in the waves, that foul technology with it. But so long as the enemy cannot boot up their trump card, their offensive will fall apart and your job is done. After you've achieved that, leave the vessel by any way you're able, and we'll send a vessel to pick you up. Lastation's security corps will take care of the follow-up."

"Are you sure they'll manage?"

I may have defeated one of the enemy aces, but there are still two more remaining, plus the leader. It should go without saying that even without the M.G.D. behind them, they're a dangerous bunch.

"While we may have had our failings in the past, try not to belittle our operatives too much," Jinguji expressed her faith in her troops. "So long as they know what they're dealing with, they can pull their weight. Rest assured, once you've done your part, we will handle the rest."

"Okay..."

Well, my mission wasn't easy enough that I could afford to worry about others.

Finding a weakness in that behemot—and I'd like to try and save Ran Ran too while I'm at it. I can't easily look Noire in the eyes again, knowing I've let an innocent civilian—well, an innocent pig—take one for the team.

"Let's give this operation a one more try then!"

What now?

The ride was going to take a while longer, so might as well take the chance to clean my guns.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Barely visible against the deep, dark sea was the tiny shape of a tanker, stoically cleaving its way across the waves. As late as the timing was, the chilling wind blowing against my body served to knock out every bit of sleepiness. I counted anxiously to ten, the expansive wall of water rapidly approaching, before pulling the ring that launched the parachute strapped to my back.

With luck, the darkness of the night concealed my descent from the enemy. On the other hand, it was anything but safe for me. If I missed the mark even by a hair, I'd be left swimming in the open sea, with no hope of catching up again.

I wasn't exactly a paratrooper, but I had to pull this off somehow.

Slowly gliding through the air, wind rattling the corners of the parachute, I found myself pondering what it'd be like to have Noire fly me in her CPU form. Being held in her powerful arms, soaring between the clouds, I was sure it would've been absolute paradise. No, a trivial place like paradise, where all the good people get to go simply by dying, couldn't hope to compare to such a rare, borderline impossible dream.

Oh shoot, lost in imagination, I started to veer off-course.

Pulling a knife, I cut the parachute and dropped down onto the deck of the ship.

Badam. The impact was pretty loud, but hopefully not loud enough to attract excess attention.

I remained still for a few seconds, all my senses fixed on finding approaching movement. But it was quiet. Strangely quiet. I was expecting to be dodging spotlights and patrols right after landing, but there were hardly any guards positioned on the deck. I suppose they didn't expect to get surprised in the open sea. Saving their strength for the main event made more sense than patrolling all night long. Or, if they thought that way, it would've made things easier for me.

Taking cover behind a cargo crane in the stern of the ship, I contacted Jinguji.

"This is K-Sha. I've made it safely aboard the tanker."

"I can see that, good work," she soon responded. "You handled that expertly well. Have you been skydiving before."

"No, I haven't," I truthfully responded.

"Eh..." For a moment, even the normally composed Jinguji was thrown for a loop. "You didn't think to mention that before leaping off a flying plane by yourself…?"

"Well, it's not like my experience or inexperience would change the fact that I had to do it. I thought I would make it work out one way or another, once actually in the air."

"What's with that terribly irresponsible, Neptune-esque approach…?" I could hear Jinguji sigh in a manner very similar to her Oracle colleague from Planeptune. "What I mean is, had I known it was your first time, we could've found an expert to walk you through the steps, with no mortal danger involved."

"Oh, right."

"Good heavens, K-Sha. I thought you had your act together better than that."

"It went well, didn't it?" I lightly dismissed her retroactive worries. "While in the air, I simply pictured the ship as a big soccer goal and myself as a player on the offensive. It wasn't that hard, really. Actually, it was pretty fun. You should give it a try sometime."

"I will strictly refrain from doing anything rash and suicidal like that, thank you very much," Jinguji replied. "Either way, by chance of a miracle, you've made it on board the vessel, and I suppose that's all what matters. The M.G.D. is too big to be anywhere but in the cargo bay. Most likely, Ran Ran will be there as well. I suggest you begin by finding your way down there."

"Okay," I was going to do just that.

"And..." Jinguji's tone turned a step more glum.

"Yes?"

"It's probable that another one of the enemy aces is stationed there as well. Perhaps more than one. They may not know you've caught up with them yet, but it would be prudent to expect the worst. Don't make your move without preparing yourself for the option."

Learn from your mistakes, eh.

"I will be careful," I said as I cut the transmission.

Let's see...I have about four or five more hours until sunrise.

Locate Ran Ran, find out if the behemoth weapon has a weakness, disable it, and escape. Simple enough for a plan, right?

What could go wrong?


	14. Chapter 14

14

Beneath the deck, the ship was crawling with monsters. That explained the lack of a proper crew, I suppose. Putting people together with all these beasts would've only made for a very one-sided buffet. The ship ran with minimum personnel, while the monsters tirelessly kept possible intruders at bay. And at the destination, they would all get unloaded on the unsuspecting citizens of Lastation...I could see they weren't going to rely on their secret weapon alone.

They weren't playing around—I saw as much in my encounter with Bartok.

The enemy was betting everything they had, to make a mess as bad as possible.

In other words, merely disabling the M.G.D. might not be enough. If the ship reached the shore with all these monsters and killer machines, they could still cause a great deal of trouble. Even though Jinguji insisted Lastation's soldiers would do something about it.

Well, there was no way for me to wipe out the monsters by myself.

I guess I can only follow the plan for now.

Doing my best to avoid battle, I sneaked deeper into the ship, looking for a way to the cargo bay. It was easier said than done. It hadn't look that big from high up, but inside, the ship was like a maze, with endless stretches of narrow corridors, loops and dead ends. Almost all the doors were locked too.

And the clock—kept ticking.

While I found some fascinating items along the way, I couldn't afford to forget my mission came with a definite time limit.

To keep from being spotted by the monsters, I crawled into a ventilation shaft. It made my progress slower, but thankfully reduced the encounter rate, and let me get past sealed areas without having to look for the keys.

Finally finding a hatch with a larger room on the other side, I thought I'd reached the cargo bay and jumped out.

My excitement faded soon, however.

It turns out to be just another storage room, and way too small for the super weapon. Instead, there were smaller steel containers packed in haphazard piles here and there along the walls. There had to have been dozens of them. What was in them? More horrendous weapons? No, I don't have the time to stay and look.

The large door was firmly shut from the outside. Made of thick metal with no windows or any visible mechanisms, trying to force it open would've only been waste of time and effort. Another dead end then? It looked like I had no choice but to return the way I came and look for another route. Dejected, I turned to reach back into the ventilation shaft, when—

—"BUAHAHAHAHA!"

...A comically evil laughter stopped me.

I know that roar.

Looking up, I saw an unnerving figure sit atop the mountain of containers, close to the ceiling. As I thought, it was that armored crocodile.

"A bilge rat has come crawling into my lair, I see! Hahaha!" It laughed. "I should thank you for saving me the effort of coming to look for you!"

"I don't really have the time to waste playing with you, so excuse me as I take my leave..."

"No, we can't have that!" the monster's loud voice reverberates off the metal walls. "The fact that you stand before me, alive and intact, must mean that fool Bartok has been beaten? What a riot! To be done in by a rat! Either you are better than you look, or he really was a useless piece of junk to the end! No matter. Before me, Blackjack, the strongest ace of the Syndicate, any enemy will be ground to dust! You will make for good practice before I get to chew the bones of the CPUs!"

"In a way, it's refreshing to see someone so shamelessly evil," I said and sigh as I draw my weapon. "I don't need to expect a heart-wrenching story to turn around all your evils from such a monster, right? That way, I won't have to feel bad about crushing you either."

"A heart-wrenching story? Oh no!" the beast hollered. "If anything, my story is an uplifting one! I live and fight for one thing alone—to spread the word of pachinko, our lord and savior!"

The beast strikes a triumphant pose atop the containers, and I can almost hear a corny fanfare in my ears.

"...Pachinko, did you say?"

Now there's a word I didn't expect to hear from an evil monster mercenary. He's talking about those old arcade machines...right?

"That's right!" he said. "Pachinko machines! In this digital age, where everything imaginable has been converted to bits and voltage, only one form of entertainment has prevailed unscathed! No gaming console or software can boast the resilience and might of a good old pachinko machine! They have outlived even the most successful of hardware generations by far! No matter how hard you beat them, or how many times, they live on! They keep on coming back! Your favorite anime has lost its popularity? Don't worry, it lives on in a pachinko! Your beloved video game franchise has been driven to the ground? Oh, but it gets remade, better than ever—as an exclusive pachinko game! And following this coming purge that will sweep all over Gamindustry, guess what will rise proudly from the ashes, to fill the arcades in every city once more!"

Spreading his stubby arms, as if to meet an invisible audience, the beast roared,

"The reign of Pachinko! A beautiful, wondrous age of indomitable giants, where no inferior gameplay mediums may exit! The good old days will come back to us! Oh how I've waited for this! How I've dreamed of this! For this supreme goal, I have dedicated all my being. And you—you little mouse would seek to deny this future of us!? Not even death suffices as a punishment for your sins!"

Oh good grief.

I was planning on avoiding this battle at first, but now I saw there was no choice.

Someone as mad as him couldn't be allowed to go on.

"Loving pachinko machines is all fine and good," I told him as I undid the safety on my handguns. "But where's the fun in playing only the one and the same games all over? Sooner or later, you're going to want to try something different."

"Blasphemy! When you have pachinko, what more could you possibly need! There are no two machines that are identical, no two games that are the same. It's your digital games that never change! If you can't see that, it's clear the glory of arcade goes beyond your puny human mind. No, no more words! I can see clearly enough there can never be an understanding between us!"

I couldn't agree more.

I should be thankful to this guy, I suppose.

Never before have I felt as glad for leaving the Syndicate.

"Ah, you're right. Come then. Tonight, with my guns, I will clear the past away, for a better future."

Despite my purified resolve, the fight proved a close one.

Or, well, it really wasn't.

I was definitely losing.

Like before, my weapons couldn't seem to do any damage against the opponent's thick armor. Meanwhile, with his large bulk, Blackjack could easily deal tremendous damage with minimum movement. His bulky body would be enough of a weapon on its own, but he also wields a huge ball chain for ranged attacks. It was a weapon of tricky reach, and anticipating his inhuman moves was difficult. In this closed space, there was barely any room to evade, and nowhere to hide.

I had no way of fighting back and no way of defending myself.

Looking at it objectively, how could I possibly win this?

As soon as my legs would stop moving, I'd die.

Though I did my best, that knowledge turned into poison, which slowly sapped strength from my limbs.

There had to be a weakness somewhere.

I had to find an opening, or create one, if none existed.

Or else I would never go back home.

But how...?

Even in optimal condition, the difficulty level of this battle would've been crushing. And it had been a long day. The accumulated fatigue was slowing down my reactions, and causing me to make easy mistakes. No matter how well you train, there's only so far you force yourself. Little by little, I could see the scales tip decisively in the enemy's favor.

"Is this as far as I go…!?" I grit my teeth, finally backed into a corner.

My gun clicked hollow. The magazines were emptied. It didn't look like I'd have the time to reload anymore. The drooling enemy crept closer, clearly savoring every second of this dreadful play.

"Haven't had a bilge rat before, but a well-beaten meat should still make for a healthy appetizer! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Gh..."

I'm sorry.

Noire…

—"Don't give up!"

We were interrupted by a voice that belonged to neither one of us. Where was it coming from? Above? Both me and Blackjack looked up towards the ceiling, where the spotlights blinded us. And at that moment…

CRASH! One of the containers atop a nearby pile fell down.

Breaking as it hit the floor, a corner torn open, the contents quickly spread all over the room. What on earth was in it? Some sort of liquid? Something light and sparkling. No, wait a minute, these are…

"Pachinko balls…?"

Rolling everywhere along the floor, bouncing and recoiling from the walls and containers, were tiny metal spheres. That's what was in those containers? Not weapons but game items? There had to have been thousands of them, if not millions. Too many to count, that's for sure.

"No! My treasures! My collection!" the armored mercenary monster turned from side to side in dismay, trying to gather the scattering spheres. Too bad, his hands were too large and bulky for him to pick them up. "How dare you!? How dare you...!"

And as the monster turned around and raised his leg, in search of the invisible intruder…

"WAAAAAH!"

...He slipped on the metal balls and fell flat on his face, making the entire tanker shake.

"Eh…?"

I never realized it before, since I was always busy running away from him, but there was hardly any armor plating on the crocodile's back. All that thick gear of his was focused on the front, leaving the rear almost fully exposed. What's more, now the unbalanced weight of his armor was making it hard for his massive body to get back up again. Ah, really, how could I not notice it sooner...

Well, no time to scold myself now.

You couldn't ask for a better opening.

"Good thing I saved the RPG-7 for the last."

"HAA? What? No! No, wait! Wait! Wait a minuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!"

Equipping my anti-tank rocket launcher, I aimed at the unshielded back of my disabled enemy and fired.

"ALL HAIL PACHINKOOOOO—!" the monster shrieked before being engulfed in the flames of the explosion.

"Gross..."

Another one of the Syndicate's aces had been defeated.

I couldn't escape the RPG's destructive power completely unscathed either from that range, but getting a bit burned was a cheap price to pay for turning the tables in that desperate situation.

But...whose voice was it?

Who saved me? I looked around and—

—"That was way too close for comfort. Are you all right?" A voice coming from behind my back made me quickly spin around.

"...?"

A figure I didn't expect to see in my wildest fantasies stood there, before my eyes, partly in the shade. An angelic, unbelievably beautiful lady, with long, pure white hair, dressed in a futuristic black bodysuit. She has a little parade mask to cover her eyes and discreetly glanced at me with a wry smile on her lips.

Stupefied, I could only stare at her with what had to have been the silliest expression on my face.

I'm dreaming.

This has to be a dream. I'm imagining things. I must've hit my head...

"W-what…? Is there rice stuck on my face or something?" The woman mutters in a sudden fit of bashfulness. "I-it's making me pretty uncomfortable if you keep staring at me that hard..."

"N-Noire…?" I finally recovered enough of my voice to utter her name.

No matter how you look at it, it's Noire. Noire, in her CPU form. That mask on her face, isn't it B-Sha's? Did she borrow it from her? But how…?

"I-I'm not!" the woman frantically denied while blushing. "I'm...I'm...That's right—I'm Presto Heart! The dark female knight and defender of justice! I'm definitely not, um, that Lastation's goddess or whatever! I just happened to find my way here purely by chance while on a patrol, and certainly didn't spend the whole night flying over the sea to your rescue, that's all! It was a coincidence, an accident! You hear me?"

"I-I see...So that's how it was...Thank goodness then..." I somehow restrained the urge to jump and hug her and forced myself to play along. It would've been too pitiful otherwise. They really were cut from the same cloth, huh? These sisters.

"Good grief, look at you," Presto Heart said in a sad tone, eyeing my worn-out appearance. "You're in tatters. How on earth did you manage to get yourself so beat up?"

"Well, it's not as bad as it looks," I assured her, donning my best smile. "Besides, the job's not finished yet. I can't afford to worry about a few little scratches now."

"What, are you saying you still mean to keep at it?" the masked woman asked, astonished. "No one would blame you for calling the quits at this point. You've done plenty. I'm sure someone else will handle the rest, so..."

"No, I want to do this," I insisted. "I have to. Unless I do, unless I finish this with my own two hands, I won't be able to make peace with my past. I have a huge debt left to pay, to someone precious to me. Unless I do at least this much, my lifetime wouldn't be enough to make up for all I owe to her. I can still hold a gun, so there's no need to worry about me. I'm tougher than I look, really."

"Well, I've seen as much by now," Noir—Presto Heart said with a sigh. "As much as I'd like to, I can't just drag you away from here by force, can I?"

"Yup!" I nodded. "Even if it's Noir—Presto Heart, I won't let anyone keep me from seeing things to the end my way. I've been left sitting home too many times, while everyone else goes off on an adventure. This time, for this once, let me keep the stage, if you'd be so kind."

"Sheesh," The woman pouted. "If you're going to put it like that, then there's no way I can say no without looking like a bad guy, can I? Fiiiine. Do as you like. But make sure you don't overdo it. If you don't return home alive, then there's no meaning, is there? I have no idea what's this debt you're talking about, but no one would be heartless enough to claim it's more important than your life. Is that clear?"

"Yes!" I responded, happy to win over Noire in an argument. "Rest assured, I won't lose anymore. No matter who's my enemy, I will definitely seize victory. So please leave this to me. At the end of the day, I will make sure to return safely back home, to the person I love."

"Ha—?" For a moment, the mysterious woman turned beet red. "L-l-l-love? I-is that so? W-well, d-d-do your best then...Somebody out there must be really lucky, I guess. B-by the way, I, I just remembered something real urgent I have to take care of, so I'm afraid I must take my leave now. Take care! B-bye...!"

The defender of justice took flight and slipped away into the dark, leaving me standing alone in the demolished storage hall.

"Thank you, Noire..."

Just being allowed to see you one more time worked better than any rejuvenating potion. I was now ready to take on whatever challenges remained ahead.

...Or, so I said, but with Noire here, this was no longer a secret mission, was it? I'd better confirm the situation with Jinguji before moving on.

"This is K-Sha," I contacted the home base. "Did you happen to see that just now...?"

"See what?" Jinguji quickly picked up and asked, sounding oblivious. No, her neutrality this time felt just a tiny bit exaggerated.

"The person who just appeared...You were able to see her through the video link, right…?"

"Someone showed up?" Unexpectedly, "GK" chose to feign ignorance. "My apologies, but your eyepatch might have been damaged in the previous battle, as we momentarily lost the signal and were unable to confirm anything on our end."

"..."

The timing of these technical problems sounded a bit too convenient. I don't think anything designed by Nepgear could malfunction so easily...

"In any case," the commander not-so-smoothly changed the subject, "it seems you were victorious once more. Well done, K-Sha. The rest should be child's play for you, so please carry on with your mission. Only one ace and the leader remain, I doubt they pose much trouble on your way to disabling the super weapon. Whatever irregularities appear, well, we shall deal with them as they come up. Then, until next time."

Silence. She cut the transmission.

Seriously…? I'm not sure what's going on anymore, but let's continue then.

It appeared the RPG explosion tore a hole through the wall of the storage room. Setting the unexpected friendly encounter to the back of my mind, I reloaded my guns again and pressed on.


	15. Chapter 15

15

I followed a narrow, dark corridor until the ceiling suddenly vanished and the echo of my own footsteps escaped to the unseen distance. I couldn't see too well in the poor lighting, but judging by the sound, the new room had to have been much larger than any I'd been to before. I'd finally stumbled into the ship's cargo bay, it seemed. I instinctively exhaled a not too discreet sigh of relief. This was hardly the time to be feeling lucky, though. It only meant that my real job would begin from here.

Even in the dark, I could recognize the wide silhouette of the gargantuan weapon, held still by large support structures. Even inanimate, powered off, the mere mass of it oozed an uncanny sense of dread. Should that thing reach ashore, its appearance alone would be more than enough to spread terror in the civilian populace.

But how was it controlled? It didn't have a mind of its own, right?

By logic, it should've had a guidance system of some sort installed, and a control panel where to program it, but where…? If I could find it, disabling the weapon would get a great deal easier.

But, if the M.G.D. and the monsters were the enemy's primary weapon—why was the cargo bay filled to the brim with even more big containers…?

I noted that the monsters that prowled the other parts of the ship were absent from the cargo bay. There were human guards, but their numbers are alarmingly few, considering the importance of the place. I took them out with tranquilizer darts, but while the danger was eliminated, the uneasy feeling haunting me wouldn't go away.

The reduced patrols—it wasn't all thanks to Noire's arrival, was it…?

She was probably making noise somewhere around the ship at this very moment, risking herself in an effort to draw the enemy away from my position.

In case I was right, I couldn't afford to waste her efforts. Doing my best to ignore the heavy premonition, I started to look for a way closer to the enormous weapon.

At the base of the onion-like colossus of steel, there was a larger, self-lit control board that stuck to the eye, with a solitary figure wearily operating it. That person was Ran Ran. Double checking that there were no enemies lying in ambush this time, I made my approach.

"Ran Ran?"

"Huee…?" Startled, Ran Ran spun around. However, her shoulders soon drooped. "Someone has come to save Ran Ran again…?"

With how sad she sounded, I felt bad for getting her hopes up the first time.

"That's right," I told her. "You can stop whatever you're doing now. It's over. This time, for real."

"Ran Ran is a bit skeptical, but...hooraaaay... \\(' · w · ')/"

—"That's right, you've already done your job, so I have no more need for you."

Although I thought I made sure no one else was around, we were nevertheless interrupted by a cold voice. I pulled my gun by reflex, but there was no one to aim at. It was like the air itself spoke to us.

Then...a pair of menacing red lights appeared in the darkness, high above our heads.

The eyes of the giant weapon were lit as it became activated, together with a low, resonating hum of an engine that made the ship tremble.

The weapon was already fully operational?

But why was it activating now? We weren't even to the destination yet! As I pondered that, the top of the behemoth's head let out a hissing sounds and slowly slid back. From inside the enormous body, a person stepped out.

I was wondering how a weapon of that size could be controlled, and there was the answer. They actually had a one-man cockpit built in. It wasn't simply a weapon, but like a tank or a power armor that could be directly operated. I was starting to understand the enemy's confidence in their trump card. With both the controller and the power source hidden under that thick shell, once it was deployed, the thing was practically unstoppable.

And the person piloting that monstrosity was…

Of course, who else but the leader herself.

"I've been waiting for you, K-Sha," Minako looked down at me. "You've come a long way. Congratulations for taking down two of my finest agents. I suppose they couldn't match you as tools. They were too occupied by their own ideals to dedicate themselves to combat. But unfortunately, you're too late. I don't need to hide in this ship anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "We're not in Lastation yet."

"We are close. Close enough. Shall I tell you why? Because, despite how it looks, this Metal Gear Dogoo is in fact waterproof and fully amphibious! Its water-faring capabilities are by far superior to this clunky tanker. I can make the rest of the trip on my own, and much faster. Thanks to Ran Ran's meticulous calibrations, we're all set to go."

"Uuuu…" Ran Ran let out a sad whimper.

"Just one Share Crystal should keep the M.G.D. powered for at least three days. That's more than enough to mow down Lastation's defenses, as well as their pitiful CPU, to make way for all the monsters we've hoarded aboard this ship. And once this country and its resources are mine, we can take our time manufacturing another Crystal from the misplaced faith of the oblivious people. All the while the rest of the nations are too busy beating each other down."

"If you think I'm just going to sit here and let that happen, you have another thing coming." I took aim and pull the trigger, as fast as I could, but the distance was too great for a simple handgun. The enemy quickly dropped down into the cockpit and sealed it.

"Try as you may! You can't stop me! This is the final farewell, K-Sha. You could've stood by my side as one of my aces, to welcome the new world. But now, you will burn with the old. We shan't meet again! Hahahaha!"

With a loud clank, the ceiling split.

The cargo bay's large main hatch opened, showering us in glum early morning light. The dull gray shape of the gigantic monster imitation greeted the outside air with what appeared to be an expression of glee. Was it entirely necessary to give a giant super weapon a nose and a mouth, even eyebrows…?

No, that doesn't matter right now. I have to find a way to stop that thing before it takes off!

"Ran Ran!" I turned to the pig standing next to me. "Does that thing have a weakness…!? There must be one! Please tell me, quickly!"

"Uuu...(' ; w ; ')"

...It was no good. She was still depressed and wouldn't answer.

Desperate, I emptied the magazine, firing blindly at the M.G.D., but of course, my bullets clicked off its thick armor without leaving a scratch. I might as well have thrown berries at it. Not even the RPG would've done any good against such mass. I needed something bigger than that…

Is there nothing I can use here…?

But while I was hopelessly trying to think of my next move, even more trouble showed up. As a parting gift, the enemy opened the doorways at both ends of the cargo bay. At once, numerous monsters burst into the hall, attracted by all the noise.

The cargo bay hatch was now fully opened.

With unexpected agility, the giant super weapon jumped off the ship and into the sea, in a long, bold arc, followed by an enormous splash. Me, Ran Ran, and the monsters went flying in one bizarre mix, as the tanker recoiled.

Is this as far as we can go?

Even after Noire came all this way to lend a hand, I've failed and let the enemy escape! And now, we were left to deal with all those monsters, with no way out of the ship...As the rocking subsided, I struggled back up to my feet, but my legs lacked strength. I raised my gun again, but the hands holding it were shaking, spoiling my aim.

These hands—were they only ever good for taking...?

Was I only arrogant, thinking my debt could be settled so easily? That the price I'd have to pay for all my wrongdoings could be so cheap? Was it foolish of me to think I could be trusted to have someone's back?

The days I spent basking in sunlight, were they only a fancy little dream?

The rampaging monsters close in.

Forget the past now. Forget the future. All I could do at this point was burn out what little life I had left for my last stand. Protecting Ran Ran to the end might not have been much, but it was all I can do to make up for my failings. Gripping my gun with both hands, I forced the aim steady, right between the eyes of the nearest approaching menace. How many could I take down before they'd get me? I didn't know. But one I knew for sure.

Until my last breath, I'll never think about giving up again.

Suddenly, a series of violent explosions shook the cargo bay, forcing me to lay low and cover my head. What? Was a new opponent making an entrance? Did the enemy think merely unleashing the monsters on us wasn't enough—they should blow us up on top of that? If so, I'm afraid they missed by a wide margin. The explosions did more damage on the attacking monsters' side.

Realizing that, a faint glimmer of hope stirred within me.

It couldn't be...someone had come to save us again?

"Yahoo!"

As if in a response to my unvoiced hopes, I heard someone call out to us.

Thank goodness. It turned out my guess was correct.

But, even though the voice was undeniably familiar, it wasn't who I expected...

In the light of the on-going explosions, an older woman leaped down from somewhere above. Dressed in a black parka, with long, purple hair, holding a purple-covered notebook, she struck a tacky victory pose upon landing, greeting me and Ran Ran.

"Kept you waiting, huh!"

You're joking, right...? Why is SHE here?

"Ms Neptune…?"

That's right, it was the dimension-traveling, older Neptune, the human counterpart of Planeptune's CPU. Running into her in unexpected places had become something of an expected event, but even so, I couldn't help but wonder how on earth she'd ended up aboard a criminal organization's ship.

"I understand you have questions..." she said with an apologetic face. "But looks like the explosives I found in the containers and rigged up to make a distraction were a bit more potent than I imagined. This ship might be done for, I'm afraid. We'd better hurry it up, if we wanna get out of here alive."

No matter the dimension, Neptune is Neptune, and her medicine tended to outdo the ailment.

"Yeah," she nodded to herself and continued. "Don't ask me about how I was only minding my own business, wandering around, when some stranger suddenly asked me, 'hey big sis, want an easy job at sea?', and I agreed right away because I'd always wanted to try be a sailor one day, and then my work place turned out to be nothing other than the villains' secret transport ship...Yeah, I'm not a criminal accomplice here or anything, but only a harmless, innocent bystander involved by pure chance, waiting for the opportunity to do the right thing! So let's not sweat the small stuff and just get outta here, okay? Like, really quick now? Okay?"

"You took the time to explain it anyway!?"

I wasn't the type to make retorts, but there was no one else here to do it in my place.

"No, no, you did good," Neptune said. "Not as passionately as Noire, maybe, but you're getting there, honest!"

"Thank you very much—no, I don't need to be consoled over that! What are we going to do?"

After a brief thought, Big Neptune said,

"I don't know what you're going to do, but will you leave Ran Ran to me? With my Nep Note and Crostie's power, I can warp her to safety in no time at all. Might as well take her straight to Leanbox, while I'm at it. I was about to go say hi to Vert anyway."

This turn of events sounded a tad too convenient for me, but since I was the one in a pinch, I decided to offer her my heartfelt thanks instead.

"...And, is there a reason you're not offering to take me along?" I asked.

"Well, I normally totally would," she answered, "but, you still have a job left to do, don't you? Rather than me, the protagonist of this story is K-Sha, right? I have a funny feeling you'll rather stay on this sinking, burning vessel and keep playing hero to the end, instead of taking the easy way out."

The way she put it was more than a little troubling, from a stylistic perspective, but I couldn't exactly deny it either.

She was right. I wasn't done yet. Nowhere close.

"I can't afford to quit while Noire and Jinguji are still fighting to protect their homeland. Although I can't deny I'm in a bit of a bind right now. By what you said, you've been on this ship for a while? You don't happen to know if there's a weakness to that giant, do you?"

"Well, maybe I do," she said. "But, rather than having me just come out and say it, don't you already know the answer too? It's not that big of a deal."

I know the M.G.D.'s weakness? What made her think that? I wasn't sure if that kind of point had been brought up during the story so far. If I did know it, I wouldn't be having this much trouble, would I?

Or maybe it did get brought up?

A fatal weakness foreshadowed well in advance.

One important part, without which the enemy's prided super weapon would be rendered useless.

Wait, wasn't that...

"The Share Crystal…?"

"Ta-daaah! Bingo on the first try!" Ms Neptune makes a needless sound effect. "So there you have it. All you need is to destroy the Crystal and babaam, down in the waves she goes!"

"But how?" I asked. "The Share Crystal is obviously hidden deep within that thick armor and I don't see any conventional weapons getting through...Unless you know a super weapon to match a super weapon, I don't see a way to destroy it."

"Um, um..."

Suddenly, Ran Ran looked like she wanted to say something.

It seemed Big Neptune's arrival had shaken her from the fit of crushing guilt and self-pity.

"What is it, did you remember something new?" I turned to her.

"Is it really okay for Ran Ran to butt in on such an important scene...?" she wanted to confirm, for some reason.

"It is, it is!" Big Neptune told her. "Rather, would be nice if you could make it real short and simple, as the heat's catching up to us. For a sauna, this place has too much flames and too little steam."

"Okay..."

Ran Ran looked down at her feet, before turning to me and saying weakly,

"The M.G.D.'s armor plating has a critical weakness along the second vertical front seam four centimeters and a half above the second horizontal seam. Even a small caliber bullet fired from a forty-five degree angle could penetrate the seam and hit the Share Crystal positioned in a power chamber beneath the pilot's seat. If you do that, the machine will run out of power and eventually stop completely and none of the weapons can be operated. Ran Ran tried to warn the leader about the fatal weakness many, many times, but no one would take her seriously...(' ; w ; ')"

"…"

She sure could talk when she decided to.

And what's with those highly specified instructions...?

"So there you have it!" Big Neptune cut in. "With everyone's work now neatly divided, how about we hurry up and jump the ship? Like, stat. Of course, I'd love to stay and lend a hand, but I'd hate to get accused for hogging the spotlight with my overflowing charisma when it's not even my story, so I'll leave it in your capable hands! Bring home the victory! And make it look cool, okay!"

I don't know about the cool part, but I'll do what I can.

"Yes, leave the rest to me," I told her. "Thanks for the help."

"Though I said I wouldn't lend a hand, do you have any ideas what to do?" she asked. "The last boss got quite the headstart there. Unless you have some convenient transport hidden in your pocket like my Nep Note, catching up could be a bit hard."

"Well, I'll think of a way."

Maybe there's a motor lifeboat or something. The crew has to have some way of getting back on land.

"If you say so! Don't mess up now when it's the chalklines, alright? Good luuuck!"

With that Ms Neptune opened her notebook, within which the historian Croire is trapped. Exploiting that being's power, she opens a portal for her and Ran Ran to get through and soon disappears from view.

Left alone once more, I turn to look for a way out of the burning cargo bay, slightly anxious that I may have let my only hope of survival slip away.

[CHIRP, CHIRP]

At that moment, the communicator started ringing. Jinguji? For this once, with the flames licking at the hems of my skirt, I was glad for the advertised game-pausing attribute added just for comedy purposes and quickly picked up,

"This is K-Sha. What's the news?"

"It seems we owe a big thanks to adult Neptune," Jinguji said without much urgency. "The enemy leader's escape was an unwelcome setback, but not everything is lost yet. I dispatched a transport helicopter to pick you up after the mission, but now that it's come to this, use the heli to give chase to the M.G.D. With luck, you can still reach it by air before it hits the shore."

"Oh, that's helpful. I'll do so then."

"It should be there in a minute, so find a way up to the tanker's helipad, where it can pick you up. Good luck hunting."

With what had to have been our shortest exchange yet, Jinguji ended the transmission, and I was back in the midst of the sea of flames.

Okay. Just a bit more to go.

Psyching myself up, I pressed on once again.


	16. Chapter 16

16

It took quite a bit of effort, but I finally managed to climb back up to the deck of the tanker, through the open cargo bay hatch, using the remaining containers for footing. This small success didn't make the overall situation less bleak. The ship's hull had to have torn by the explosions, as its speed had been reduced to a crawl and it was starting to tilt. Every passing second, the enemy leader continued to pull the lead further on me, and my ride was yet nowhere to be seen.

For just a quick second, I made the easy mistake of thinking, "it can't get much worse than this".

BABAAM—!

And at that moment, the tanker was again ravaged by another explosion, coming from below. This one was not bigger Neptune's doing, however. Rather than any weapons going aimlessly off on their own, it felt almost as if there was something still down there trying to force its way up with brute force.

Something...huge.

As I cautiously tried to peek over the edge of the gaping hole, enormous metal hands suddenly struck up through the thick, black smoke, to grab at the edges of the opening. In dismay, I witnessed a huge, skeletal robot frame pull itself out of the fiery chaos underneath.

What on earth is that thing...?

The enemy was still hiding something as absurd as that?

As I looked closer, I saw a person riding on the robot's wide shoulder.

Ah, how could I forget.

There was still one more enemy ace left.

The girl in the sailor suit.

We wouldn't be able to wrap things up without dealing with her, would we? Did she stay behind on this doomed ship, just in order to stall me further? If so, then she was definitely doing her job with commendable proficiency.

"You people really want to see the world burn, don't you...?" I asked the girl, who met my gaze with callous eyes.

"It's nothing personal," she said. "Even I feel a bit blue about our current standing. Personally, I would've preferred for us to fight side by side, K-Sha."

"You're going to say that too? It's not too late, you know? I used to be a solitary operator in the past, but anyone can change. With the way things have been going lately, I wouldn't mind a new ally or two."

"Well, by those words, you should already understand it's impossible. I have no more intention of taking your side than you do mine. Regrettable as it is, the differences between you and I are not any easier to settle than the differences between you and Bartok or Blackjack. Yes, so long as I remain one of the Syndicate's Aces, so long as you remain a traitor to our cause, facing each other in battle is our fate. My resolve will not lose to yours. After all, I know the cause I fight for is just."

That's right.

All the aces had their own vision.

Some more sympathetic, some less so.

While this girl's appearance was in stark contrast with the other two, I already figured her personality wouldn't differ on that front. No, going by the order of appearance, shouldn't her conviction as the penultimate boss be even more adamant than that of the others?

"Ah," the girl nodded. "I, Rummy, fight for money."

"Er...For money…?"

The reason was really petty!?

"No," the girl corrected herself. "I suppose it'd be more accurate to say, I fight _because_ of money."

"No matter how you spin it, I'm not sure if I get the meaning..."

"Not that I expected you to. Well, it's not all that complicated, when you get down to it. Since it's already become a pattern that a boss character must give a speech before the fight may begin, I guess I have no choice but to share my story as well."

Even the enemy is getting started with the meta talk now? Please give it a rest!

"Well, whatever excuses you make up for wreaking havoc, I don't mind listening if you want to talk," I told her. "After all, standing here, exchanging arguments, it's almost like we're friends already."

"Friends, huh?" The girl, Rummy, shrugged. "Well, I don't mind looking at it that way, since it makes our following fight to the death seem all the more tragic and bittersweet."

There's no changing that bit, is there?

Continuing to balance steadily on the giant war machine's shoulder, the girl started her story.

"A while back, my little brother got into browser games."

"Browser games...did you say?"

You mean, those free little games you play directly with the internet browser? Again, it was a surprisingly mild opener.

"Yeah. My reaction was exactly the same as yours. Of all the bad habits you can fall into, it didn't seem particularly dangerous. I thought they were only harmless fun at first. Nothing as noble and elegant as the trading card games which I like, but a full-fledged gaming medium nevertheless. I could accept that. I understand that children these days are into games for colorful, digital platforms that are constantly evolving and offers a wider range of experiences. What's more, it was free! Isn't that great? No need to buy or download anything. No commitment. Almost too good to be true, isn't it? So I thought. That's why, I foolishly left him to it, without properly watching over and guiding him as an older sister. That was my failure. For there was one dreadful thing I failed to recognize."

"That was…?"

"Microtransactions," Rummy spat the word." Every browser game is filled with seemingly minor, but treacherously attractive elements, that require real world money to access. Experience boosts to make the grind go by faster, beautiful, charming cosmetics, healing items, equipment, and rare treasures. Heck, there are even casino addons, that would normally be restricted to adults only, but which even kids can play if they're hidden in a more innocent-looking main game. The players are lured with promises of quick success, instant gratification, and have their money discreetly pilfered, coin by coin. If you point out the scheme, all the fault is shifted to the victim! It's your fault for giving into temptation and not playing responsibly! Blame your own naivety for being deceived! Don't mess with me! Most of the playerbase for these games are children! How can you expect them to recognize that virtual actions can have real world ramifications, when they don't even know how the world works yet! Behind the innocent facade of a cute game is a heartless, money-grubbing machine, designed specifically to exploit the weak!"

"..."

The story this time sure took a rather abrupt dark turn.

"Before we realized," Rummy continued, "my little brother had used up all our savings. He regretted it, of course. He didn't realize what he was doing. If an item happened to cost 4 credits, that's nothing right! But before you realize, you've become hooked. The small costs keep accumulating at a staggering rate. No company would give us a refund. We ended up in debt. We don't have parents to look after us, so I was forced to seek work as an underground mercenary to pay the bills. It was gruesome. It was painful. Many times, I almost got myself killed trying to earn our bread. Many more times, I was the one doing the killing, left with no choice. But in time, I got good at it. And it was on that path that I came across the Syndicate. I met people who were likewise abused and betrayed by big, faceless corporations. It was with these people, that I found the power to fight back. And now, it's our turn to strike. We will wipe the slate clean and create a new, better Gamindustry, where no child will be scammed by those greedy bastards! A world, where people can once more experience the innocent, intimate joy of trading cards with their friends! Yes, cards don't betray anyone! What you hold in your hands, no one can take from you. That is the one solid foundation all gaming should be built on."

"….…..."

That's it then?

I get it.

I get it, alright.

So there really is no way for us but to fight.

Sighing, I picked up my guns once more.

"So even after hearing my story, you will still fight me?" Rummy asked. "Don't you find that weird? Battered and worn out as you are, you would keep pushing yourself far over the limit, for the sake of preserving this corrupt world? Don't you find simply opposing us a sin, a crime against conscience? Or, you mean to say it doesn't matter to you? Our cause won't even make your hand waver? What are you, the devil!?"

"That's right. Even if it makes me the devil, I will fight. I will fight, if fighting is the only way to reach my goal. Without pulling my punches, until every last one of you is down."

"Why!?" the girl yelled at me. "Do you claim to have a purpose more noble, more important than ours? More virtuous than ours? A foolish puppet like you thinks she has the right to stand in our way? How arrogant can you get? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"Well, don't get me wrong. I really was a bit moved by the story. I'm not saying it was your fault either. This world is hardly free of problems—and you guys sure have added your share to them. There are and will probably always be those out there willing to take advantage of others below them. Just destroying everything isn't going to change that. But you can fight problems like that with words. Share knowledge, share experiences, give advice, warn with your example. They may not be my thing, but I see nothing wrong with enjoying browser games, so long as you know where to draw the line. Because there's a chance of something going wrong, you'd deny the entertainment from everyone? It's up to each person how to spend their hard-earned money, be it gacha or cosmetics. Who am I to judge?"

"That's it? That's all? That's why you would stop us?"

"I don't think you need a special reason to stop a mass murder. But you're right. That's not my reason. That's not even close to all of it. Even if everything I said was proved empty and false, I'd still be left with a conviction of my own, that won't allow me to give up here, no matter what."

"And that is…?"

I'm glad you asked.

It's just a bit embarrassing to say aloud, but I'd better get used to it.

These feelings are nothing to be embarrassed about! I know that now.

Even if the whole world were my witness, I'd say it nonetheless.

"It's—my love for Noire."

"...Um, what?" The girl in the sailor suit tilts her neck.

"I love Noire," I repeated. "Every breath I draw is for Noire's sake. Every time I wield my guns and fight, it's for Noire. Every time I defeat one of you, I do it for this world that has Noire in it. Everything Noire sees as worth protecting is worth protecting to me, and I don't need any other justification. Because my love is true love. It may remain mostly one-sided and misunderstood for now, but that won't make it any lesser or meaningless! Even if I'm beaten, torn and burned, I will keep moving, because there's a strange happiness in trying your hardest for someone you love. I know I'm going overboard at times and my passion is troubling her. But these feelings won't let me lie to myself or pretend otherwise, even if I tried. For everything I've done today, I'm probably going to get scolded big time once we get back home. But I'm actually looking forward to that too. Even such a little thing makes me so happy I'm going to burst. Angry Noire. Shy Noire. Happy Noire. Smiling Noire. Determined Noire. Cocky and overconfident Noire. Confused and embarrassed Noire—there's no side to her that I don't love. That's why, no matter what I do, even if I have to kill for it, I know it's righteous, because I'm doing it for love. If Noire wants me to destroy the world, I'll do it. If Noire wants me to save the world, I'll do it. Even if Noire wanted me to rewrite the world from scratch, I'd do it in a heartbeat, never asking how or why. Her wish is all the reason I need to do anything."

"...Creepy." For some reason, my heartfelt words had Rummy looking at me with disgust in her eyes. "You're creepy! Is it really okay for someone like you to win? This is messed up! You're not a hero! You're out of your damned mind! Crazy! You're insane!"

Call me whatever you like, I don't mind. I never played myself up as anything other than who I am.

"I'm not a hero. Never was. Never will be. But all the same, I will defeat you and your leader."

"Ha! Try me!" Rummy took a step back and patted the huge head of the robot she was standing on. "Do you know what this thing is? It's a Killamachine! One of the ancient weapons designed and built to destroy CPUs! This unit's systems were used as the template for the M.G.D. A mere human can't even touch it! No matter what your reasons, your efforts will all boil down to nothing before its power!"

I wonder about that.

I had people I believed in.

And there were people who believed in me.

In this world, faith alone can accomplish miracles.

And I feel that right now, nothing is impossible for me.

"I haven't used it yet; my Golden Power. It's not all gone yet. Just watch me!"

"The power to rival a CPU against the power to kill a CPU?" Rummy grinned wickedly. "Interesting...! Then show me what you can do!"

After a tough battle, I somehow managed to win.

Wiping sweat off my forehead, I turned to look for the helipad.

There was no time to waste, so I'd better—

"—'Somehow managed to win' my ass!" the defeated ace cried. "How can you dismiss such an epic battle in just one quick line like that!? That's not fair! Was this all my character was good for!? Even after I gave such a touching backstory too! Describe my noble struggle in a little more detail, will you...!?"

"No, I don't have the leisure to waste any more time here, when I still have to catch up with your boss." I replied and holstered my gun.

"Don't you feel pity for the readers! I bet they were looking forward to this confrontation! You've let them all down!"

After all that noble and righteous boasting pre-battle, she sure turned into a bother.

"Um, even if the flavor text makes the Killamachines sound menacing, have they ever actually managed to defeat anyone in any of the games in the series...? Being beaten now when I'm using the super form I saved just for this fight wouldn't make much sense, would it? And there's no need to waste tons of paragraphs to describe the outcome everyone already knows."

Since you love card games so much, you should understand.

The hidden ultra rare one beats all, and no matter how excited you were for it, a duel can be over all too soon. That's all there is to it.

"Wait just a moment!" She still wasn't satisfied. "To begin with, your Golden Power should've been gone! The Golden Crystal, the source of that power—didn't you destroy it with yourself? Right now, you should be an ordinary human being! So how can this be!?"

"Well, you're right," I answered her. "There should've been no way for me to access this power anymore. But then again, even after destroying the Crystal, even after it was crafted into the Next Crystal in Planeptune, I was able to use my Gold Form just fine in the subsequent battles, without any special explanation. Video game logic is like that, you shouldn't try to read too deep on it."

"Hahahaha..." Rummy let out a hollow laugh. "No way...Not yet...Not yet...I can't go out all quietly like this...Not in such a silly way, it's not right...! It's just not right!"

Talk about being a poor loser.

"If one wasn't enough to defeat you, then how about this! Did you think we'd attempt to invade a whole nation with just one or two super weapons! Come to me, all Killamachines!"

Now she's done it.

Following her call, more monstrous machines climbed out of the nearly ruined cargo bay. It seemed that more than one had remained functional after the explosions. They sure built some needlessly tough things, those people of the past.

One, two, three...Wait, four? Five?

The difficulty balance was just fine for one, but this many at once is cheating...!

From somewhere above and behind, I could hear the sound of Jinguji's transport, at last. I normally would've been delighted to hear that sound, but right now, it only served to add to the pressure. There was not a moment to waste, but the enemies wouldn't let me simply walk away.

What now…?

—"Hurry up and get going."

My field of vision was suddenly covered in white.

I hadn't gone blind and it wasn't some visual effect. The voluminous white hair of the person stepping in between me and my opponent blocked the view, that's all.

So it was now that she decided to make her appearance? Talk about keeping the suspense. Was she waiting for this opportunity the whole time, to maximize the cool factor? If so, then it was a resounding success. I'm just too easy like that.

"Actually..." Noire stiffly turned to look over her shoulder, her expression rather strained. "I was planning on helping out sooner, but then a certain somebody just had go blurt out all sorts of weird things right in front of the enemy, and it got too darn embarrassing for me to come out anymore...!"

"Eh..."

So she was listening?

From the beginning?

"E...a…ahaha...I'm...sorry…"

I don't regret it though. It was from the heart.

"Whateeeeever!" the flustered goddess said. "Just go already! You have a heli to catch, don't you? I'll deal with these and follow as soon as I can."

"Erm, will you be all right...?"

She made it sound like a little afternoon chore, but there were five CPU-killing-machines on the other side, the ship was rapidly sinking, and I doubted the Syndicate ace was quite ready to exit the stage either. I couldn't avoid being just a bit concerned.

But Noire brashly dismissed my worries, as expected.

"Who do you think I am? Of course I'll be fine. Old junk like this won't even make for a light workout. If you have the time to worry about others, then you have the time to think of a way to stop that colossus from reaching my Lastation. Just this once, I'm making an exception and entrusting the job to you, so you'd better do something about it, hero."

Crude as she put it, she had a point.

Just, she got one little detail wrong.

"...I'm no hero."

A hero is moved by justice, by compassion.

What moved me was the most selfish, greediest, dirtiest emotion of all.

Because of that, I could never stand as a shining example to all the hopeful youth in the world. Because of that, my actions would in time be lost in the pages of history, unrecorded.

But—it was also what made me the strongest.

Giving Noire's solitary back one last glance, I hurried off to the tanker's helipad, where Jinguji's helicopter awaited. I didn't need to give my best friend further parting words. After all, we were going to see each other again soon enough.


	17. Chapter 17

17

We pursued the trail of the runaway super weapon by air. As fast as the ride was, it didn't seem fast enough. Not only did the enemy have a considerable advantage, the longer the chase dragged on, the worse the fatigue permeated my battered body. Even if we caught the enemy in time, would I still be able to emerge victorious from another difficult fight, the most important of them all?

No matter how difficult, I had no choice but to see things to the end.

One way or another, I had to make the inhuman precision shot to pierce M.G.D.'s armor, destroy the Share Crystal inside, and capture the enemy leader. I promised I would.

But not just for that.

Unless I settled this with my own hands, I wouldn't find closure otherwise.

We weren't far from the coast anymore. With each passing second, anxiety kept building up and weighed at my tired heart. Squashed, burned houses. Homes torn by grenades and gunfire. Streets ravaged by missiles. Fear and panic. Chaos and mayhem. All the things you didn't want to see come crashing into your everyday life flashed before my aching eyes, as I expected to witness the worst.

Suddenly, the pilot informed me that there was movement ahead.

Quickly, shuddering with a feverish feeling, I stumbled into the cockpit to see for myself.

Lastation's shoreline was already visible in the horizon, vaguely. The coming day was shaping up to be glum. Thick clouds obfuscated the sunrise and it had started to drizzle, rendering visibility limited. But even then, I could clearly make out the distinct, gigantic bubble shape drifting against the dark waves.

There was our enemy, no doubt about it.

But...wasn't it moving strangely slow...?

The sluggish rate with which the giant metal dogoo pushed through the waves was nothing compared to the intensity of its departure. Rather, wasn't it getting even slower? What's going on? Technical problems...? Was it not completed, after all?

The ease by which the helicopter caught up with the behemot quickly alleviated the preceding, anxious tension, and it was almost with A sense of disappointment, that I dropped down on top of it.

For a few seconds, I wondered how to reach the enemy hidden inside, but my problem was soon resolved by the hissing sound of the cockpit hydraulics.

The topmost part slid out of the way, and the armored woman climbed out of the tiny control room, a grim look on her face. The leader of the Syndicate's remnants, Minako. No, there was no Syndicate anymore. She was all alone.

"Now you've done it..." Minako said, glaring at me.

Me? What have I done? It didn't fall apart on its own?

"Back at the tanker, when you started shooting at random...it seems one of the bullets managed to slip through a seam in the armor. The Share Crystal is cracked, and the power system has failed. None of the weapons are responding either."

"Um..."

Seriously?

You mean, _that_ time?

That time, when I, out of options, took a few shots to vent, one of those bullets actually hit the target? Even though I didn't even know where to aim?

I suppose that goes to show you have to be careful with firearms, as accidents can happen anywhere, at any time...Either way, victory this time appeared to have come by such a random coincidence, I almost felt sorry for the enemy.

Is really okay for us to win this way?

I don't mean to complain, but...oh well.

"Don't congratulate yourself just yet!" the woman shouted at me. "Even if only a fragment, there's still power left! This isn't over! We're still moving and almost on land! There is no way to change the course anymore. In but a few more minutes, the customers of Lastation's largest holiday resort will be greeted by the monstrous shadow of this weapon. Fear and panic will spread as it rams ashore! Even if the effect will be less impressive than I'd hoped, it will still raise a lively uproar. And the fact that Lastation's government failed to prevent it from happening will eat away at the CPU's Shares. If nothing else, that will be my final, personal revenge against the nation that ruined all my plans."

You can't just obediently raise your hands and say, "I've lost, please arrest me", can you...?

"All your aces have been defeated and all your weapons are ruined," I told her. "Was it really worth it? Worth gambling everything and then losing everything? I've heard your subordinates' reasons for fighting, but I haven't yet heard yours. Did you even have a reason in the first place?"

"Hmph," Minako looked up to the dark heavens, closing her eyes to feel the rain on her face.

"All I wanted, all I've done, was for showing Gamindustry the hidden truth."

"The hidden truth…?"

Do we really have the time to bring up such big themes this late into the story?

"Yes," she nodded. "My purpose was to crack the shell of this fragile, sugar-coated world, where everyone keeps lying to themselves from day to day, dawn to dusk, denying their own, underlying nature. My goal was to recreate Gamindustry as a land, where people could be free of disguises and stay true to themselves. Because the way it is now, everyone lives hiding under masks of false justice, pretending to enjoy things that they hate, despising that which they secretly love, all for the sake being approved by their peers. How worthless! We're headed for a future, where the vocal minority decides what manner of entertainment the rest of us are allowed to enjoy. Anything different and original is immediately censored, silenced, and shunned into oblivion. Aspiring creators have their dreams shattered again and again, because they wouldn't fit the prevailing social standards. Was this world not so big, after all? Not big enough for everyone to find a place to call their own? Not big enough to tolerate those, who go against the flow, and differ from what the majority deems acceptable?"

"…"

Those were some big and bold words, that definitely seemed to resonate somewhere within me, yet at the same time, I couldn't quite get a grip of any of it.

What exactly is the problem?

"Hmph, you don't understand?" Minako turned to face me. "Not that I expected you to. Very well. Let me put it in a language even a tool like you may understand."

Okay, I'm listening.

"Ahem..." She clears her throat before saying,

—"Why is it wrong to look at panties!?"

"..." Excuse me?

Maybe it's the noise of the waves, but I thought I just heard something really silly.

As I wonder if the exhaustion was getting to me worse than I'd thought, the enemy leader went on in a quickened pace,

"Why is it a problem if I like panty shots or big, jiggling boobs in my video games? They're video games! They're not real! It's not like anyone real was hurt or offended or oppressed to produce them!? So what if I happen to enjoy the aesthetics of cute, well-rendered underwear on fully digital character models? They aren't even naked or anything, I think it's well within the boundaries of decency and good taste! And isn't it better for everyone that I indulge in these small pleasures with fictional, computer-generated characters, instead of peeping on real people? So why must the newest installment of my favorite RPG-series have scenes removed, because somebody somewhere in a land far away could feel insulted? Who exactly loses and what, if I get a wider variety of cosmetic options for my characters? If I want to spend my money buying skimpy fetish outfits from cash shops, why should that option be taken away from me? Why is it that the chest and hip sliders in new MMOs only move between 0 and 3? Are you kidding me? How is that _diversity_? How can I ever truly create an original and different character, when the range of possibilities is so artificially restricted? At the same time as they promote individuality, they compel us to make avatars that are like clones of one another! Isn't that weird? Are you messing with me? Why is it that there are huge shadows obscuring the upskirt shots in this new VN I preordered!? Isn't it enough that all TV anime these days have out of place light beams positioned in the strategic place!? Anything that tries to be even a little different get flamed to death on forums and ignored in stores, the buyers scared away by the haters! Why? It's not like I go to Leanbox and tell them to stop producing BL games with suggestive covers, even though I want to? If I'm able to accept that other people have their own tastes, which differ from mine, then why can't others respect my tastes as well? Isn't it nuts? If it's going to be like that—if someone must dictate what everyone is allowed to enjoy and what not, then I might as well become that someone myself!"

"Um, let me check if I got this right..." I attempted to recap, rubbing my aching temples. "So you did all that and created this ridiculous weapon just because somebody censored your games…?"

"Don't try to play down the issue!" she pointed at me in anger. "That's the kind of response everyone gives me! How is the suppression of freedom and artistic creativity a mere joke to you? That's the way it always begins! First they tell you how you're allowed to be entertained. Then what news you're allowed to read. Then which leader you're allowed to support. Just watch! Before you realize, all your decisions from cradle to grave are made for you, by 'those who know better'! Is that the kind of a future you want? No! I can't let that happen. I won't allow it! To destroy the corrupt Gamindustry—to save it!—to protect people's freedoms, I will gamble my everything and lose my everything, no matter how many times it takes! To take power from the CPUs and corrupt corporations, and bring it back to the people. So they can each have the freedom to decide what to enjoy!"

This sure got troublesome in whole new ways...

But…

"I can't say I agree with censorship either," I said, "and I don't feel like judging your, er, tastes...but...I think aspiring creators failing more often than succeeding is just the way it works. Sooner than blaming censorship, if a game gets hated and shunned, isn't it mostly because the gameplay itself was just not that good…?"

"What?"

Sometimes your tastes don't coincide with other people's.

And even if they do, it could be that their presentation was poor.

On the other hand, if the presentation is really good, then others might have easier time getting over the more peculiar...features mixed in.

Making games means balancing between various elements.

At the end of the day, there's no real way to force people to like a product. All the developers can do after failing is try and learn from their mistakes. You won't know whether something will be accepted or not, unless you take your chances. Hiding behind excuses like, "it's won't work, because it will be censored and hated" only means you're too scared of failure.

"Wha..." Minako reeled backwards. "H-how can you even say something so cruel!? Isn't every work of art inherently precious!? Nothing's perfect, yet there's good in anything! Doesn't every game deserve recognition and praise simply for having been made? Do you have any idea how much work has gone into the making of each new title that comes out? Can you even imagine? As technology develops and the hardware becomes more potent, it only gets harder to meet the endlessly rising standards! Don't you feel sorry for the people struggling to find their way in such a merciless world?"

"Maybe I do. But, it's because they love what they do that they do it, right? And I don't think anyone who truly feels that way will be discouraged by a failure or two."

"Unbelievable..." the woman shook her head. "How naive can you get? There's no reasoning with you. Whether it discourages them or not, most people can't afford even one failure. And who would ever love having to play it safe just to appeal to the mob and earn back the cost invested? If the fear of player outrage and censorship didn't exist, then everything would be so much easier! The world that can't tolerate difference but actively seeks to silence it is a world gone wrong. And must be destroyed. How did you get so lost, K-Sha? All you needed to do was pull the trigger when ordered to. Yet this is where we stand. No matter! Look! We've arrived! Brace yourself for the spectacle of the miserable citizens of Lastation fleeing in terror! The very terror they've instilled in game creators for so long. Let's see them try and censor this!"

Indeed, we'd reached ashore.

With a thud, the M.G.D. hit the beach and stopped, lacking the power to keep crawling uphill.

Standing ahead was one of Lastation's prided holiday resorts.

In the busiest season, thousands of people from all over Gamiundstry came to relax here. The center of innocent summer fun, where people came to forget their worries—it was the absolute worst target for a terrorist attack.

But…

—There was no one there.

The numerous deck chairs, the record-breakingly long water slides, the Ferris wheel and diners, all stood completely devoid of users. Missing were the families with their children, the happy couples, and excited groups of friends. Not even a solitary life guard remained to patrol the beach line.

"What…?" Minako stood stunned, peering over the super weapon's wide hull. "What is this…? How…?"

Do you really need to ask? Look around you?

I guess even criminal masterminds couldn't foresee absolutely everything. Still, from where we were, the answer should've come clear at a glance. Well, since she appeared so sincerely confused, I suppose I should enlighten her.

"...Who in their right mind would come to play on the beach in an awful weather like this?"

It was raining. It was cold and dark. On an awful morning like this, you don't want to get up from the bed. There are a few down days like this every summer. For this once, it ruined not only the theme park sponsors' hopes for uninterrupted cash flow, but also a certain criminal organization's dreams. Ah, I couldn't tell which one of us had the worse luck today. Either way, at least we could both be encouraged by the notion that our struggles were at an end. Almost.

"Why youuuuuu...!" With a tired flame of fury in her eyes, Minako turned to me.

To the cause of all her misfortune.

And I raised my gun in response.

That's right—fight. I'll take on all of your anger.

Fight with your everything and be promptly crushed.

Fight, until all your misguided ambitions become scattered and shrink back, like the waves on the beach below us. That may not undo the days I spent as a drone without a will of my own in your organization. But it will mark my new beginning, not as a tool, not as a hero, but as a single, weak, but undeniably human girl—with a will of my own.

Yes, before your ending, this is my beginning.

That's why, there's no way for me to lose this fight.

After a while, silence returned over the sea.

The chilling rain poked at our exhausted bodies, as we tried to catch our ragged breath. There was nothing left but the sound of waves. No more weapons, no more ammunition, no more items, no more hidden modes, or retries. I really gave my all in this fight. In fact, I may have given more than I had left in me. But it was over. You could say it was over already from before it began.

A winner isn't someone who never loses; it's she, who has nothing more left to achieve. Having made it this far, past all those obstacles along the way, I'd done what I set out to do. Lastation was safe. I'd kept my word to Noire.

"Why...won't you stay down!?" Uttering bitter lines befit a generic villain, Minako wearily raised her fist and punched me.

Maybe I'd gone fully numb already, but it didn't even hurt anymore.

Instead, having expended her last remaining strength in that punch, the woman lost her balance. She lost her balance, but she wouldn't fall. Latching onto me, tightly gripping my shoulders, she kept herself on her feet. With the amount of stamina remaining, I could only either try to keep my balance or push her away, not both, so for now, I decided to stay standing.

"How cruel is this...?" she muttered with a bitter chuckle. "Even though I should be the righteous one...I couldn't win."

Whether I fell here or not, it didn't really matter.

I suppose I could've let this sad person enjoy one vain moment of triumph before a lifetime behind the bars by giving up. But I didn't feel like doing that. Why? Was it because I thought I was more righteous, or because I had my pride? No, it was just vanity, nothing more.

After all—I couldn't show such an uncool side to Noire, could I?

"You're doing this all out of your love for that goddess, right?" Minako suddenly asked, as if having read my thoughts.

"Eh…?"

I didn't feel like denying it, but why bring that up now…?

"I heard about it. During your battle with Rummy. You people aren't the only ones communicating over a wireless line, you know? But let me ask you this. Do you think there's any reward waiting for you at the end of this path? You're a human being. A peerless soldier, perhaps, but still only human. The CPUs remain forever young, but you won't. You will grow old and feeble, and eventually wither away, while the CPU will continue to rule over Lastation through the ages to come, from game to game. No matter how you love her, your hands will never reach her. Your feelings are destined to remain unrequited, ultimately forgotten. Yet you will have to live the brief time you have left with them eating away at you from inside. You know this. And yet, you would fight this hard and endure Hell for a fantasy that's gone by tomorrow? Ha. It's a tragedy, that's what. That I, my loyal followers and all our ideals, fell here before a foolish woman blinded by an impossible, childish crush. You can't read a story like this to kids at bedtime. Look at reality, K-Sha. I don't need revenge on you. Your life is a punishment itself."

Before I could say anything, having exhausted her remaining strength, Minako fell on the wet metal surface beneath us, unconscious.

This would be a win by K.O., wouldn't it?

It wasn't very easy to tell on the outside though.

"….…..."

Speaking of impossible love, weren't all fairy tales like that?

The prince and the princess fall for one another simply for being the first person of the opposite sex that the other one sees. When would that ever lead to "happily ever after" in reality?

Well, that's beside the point, I know.

For me, was Noire that "first ray of light", after a long night? Did I get attached to her like a freshly hatched chicken to the first thing she recognizes as "alive"?

Am I, as a human, meant to get over her and move on, in time?

Am I, as a human, doomed to be forgotten and left behind?

Was this all but a rite of passage I had to go through, to reach adulthood?

 _Look at reality._

As I'd go on to make more friends and broaden my horizons, my feelings for Noire would find their appropriate context and I'd discover my proper role in the surrounding society...was that it?

It's only natural, right? Just a "phase".

"What stupid things are you saying?"

Now that's something I can't let slide. Are you trying to suggest my feelings for Noire are just a passing daydream, a naive little girl's first crush? Really? An absolutely delusional idiot like you would presume to understand my feelings? Were you thinking quite straight, spouting such rubbish in my face? No, whether you were serious or just playing around, it doesn't matter at all, does it? Saying you were exhausted, confused, or frustrated for losing can only excuse so much. Some people really are irredeemable, aren't they? Too evil, too messed up to be allowed to exist. I'm starting to feel any amount of jail time will be nowhere near enough to convert this person into a proper, law-abiding citizen. Ah, it seems I've suddenly turned into a firm supporter of the death penalty. No, no, let's not give up on her quite yet. Maybe I there's still a way for me to help her on the path to redemption. It's the least I can do for my former colleague, after all. Ah, what an excellent idea. If kicks and punches couldn't get her brain in order, perhaps I can still find a few more bullets we can use to help things along. Indeed, if her head is crammed full of such _senseless_ thoughts, then making a few nice, round holes in it ought to air it out...

"…..H-hey, why are you pointing your gun at an unconscious person while mumbling some seriously unsettling things...?" Minako warily opened an eye. "I've already been defeated! Yes, as a matter of fact, if I didn't make it clear before, I surrender! Unconditionally! It's my loss! Please arrest me! I won't try anything anymore, so could you put that gun away now, okay...?"

"Oh my, this unconscious person sure is uttering a whole lot of words, even when words were the origin of all the bad things. You should know to keep quiet and accept your just deserts now. Weren't you prepared to fight to the death just now? Where did that determination go? Give your everything, and so forth. Just die without a struggle now. Rest assured, if it makes you feel any better, I'll be sure to tell everyone you resisted to your last breath..."

"O-oi! I-is that something a hero should be saying? T-that's right, if you kill me, you'll become just like me! You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Ah, how many times do I have to spell it for you silly little people."

Maybe she was particularly thick-headed (for now), or maybe she just didn't get the memo, but to clear up this elementary miscomprehension, I spelled it out for her one last time.

"I. Am. Not. A. Hero. Tehe~!"


	18. Chapter 18

18

It seems I abruptly passed out for a bit.

As I opened my eyes, I discovered I was lying on my back, looking up to the gray, rainy skies. Strangely enough, the floor beneath me didn't feel as cold and hard as metal ought to. You could've called it comfortable, even. As a matter of fact, it felt so incredibly pleasant, that for a moment I wondered if I should replace my bedsheets at home with plates of steel.

No, this can't be right.

I turned my head slightly to the side and saw something unexpected. It was doubtful I'd ever get to experience something this wonderful in my usual everyday life, so I had to have been out cold still. Well, that was the way it was going to be, I wouldn't have minded being in a coma for a few years.

What I saw were Noire's kind, crimson eyes gazing down at me.

My head was resting on her soft lap, her warm hands gently sweeping through my wet bangs.

Right. It was the heaven called 'Noire's lap pillow'. I wondered if any mortal before me had been allowed to experience such happiness, even if only in a fleeting, feverish dream?

"Noire...I'm too dirty, please push me away," I said to her. "And I smell terrible."

"Dummy!" she berated me with a pained expression. "I don't care about that one bit!"

Seeing this kind of a slightly tearful Noire—I think it was a first for me. At least, I couldn't recall her ever making such a face in the past, not for my sake. Paying witness to this super rare expression alone made me feel that all the effort was perfectly worth it. The whole thing. Yes, no matter what anyone says, it was definitely worth it.

"You did all this for my sake?" Noire asked, and there was a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"That's not it," I slowly shook my head, which hurt my neck. "I did what I did for myself. For my past. And for the people of Lastation."

"That's a lie, isn't it?"

You're right, it could be a lie. But I wanted to believe in that lie. I wanted to believe my heart was a bigger place than that. So far, it only had room enough for one person in it.

Well, can you fault me?

That one person just happened to be so amazing.

But in a moment, smile left my lips.

"I fought," I said. "From beginning to end, there was nothing I could solve without fighting. This is my only value, after all. Ms Jinguji saw right through me from the start. I know Even after all this, are you really sure you want to keep calling yourself my friend?"

"What are you talking about now? Are you still half-asleep?" Noire gently berated me and brought my cold hand to her face, warming it against her cheek. "No matter how I look at them, tiny hands like these weren't made for fighting. Since, hey, today they saved a great many people. How many times have I, too, been saved by these hands, in the past and the present? If you want to talk about debts, don't I owe you too much...For a lot of things."

I was too happy to say a word at that.

"But this is the end, alright?" Noire squeezed my hand. "Don't do stuff like this ever again. No matter who asks, or for whatever reason. Not for my sake, not even for Lastation's sake. Certainly not without telling me first. Rely on me! I exist for this nation's sake. That means, so long as you're one of her people, I exist for you as well. So don't you go throw your life away, doing such reckless things by yourself. If you do that, I...I won't know what to do."

Her words, her voice, the look in her eyes, it pained my heart.

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to smile. "Please forgive me. But..."

But even while she scolded me, I had no regrets. Knowing what I do now, even if given the option to change the course of history, I would only end up repeating it every step of the way.

Because—

"I can't help it. You may live for this nation, but I really want to live for you."

Because in the end, I was only a weak human, who couldn't win against her own heart.

"You really are hopeless," Noire replied with a wry smile. "Arguing with your best friend like this. You have no intention of ever listening to me seriously, do you?"

"Of course not," I happily answered. "Isn't that what best friends do? Sometimes get in fights, sometimes argue a lot, blame one another, and then always forgive each other and make up in the end?"

Noire bashfully looked away, over the sea, and mumbled,

"The way you phrase that, it sounds more like the kind of thing couples would do."

"Don't couples tend to be one another's best friends?" I asked her in return.

"There...could be some truth to that..."

"Hm? I'm sorry, Noire, I couldn't hear you over the waves. Could you say that again? One more time?"

"Rest quietly now! I'll let you lie there until the chopper comes back, so...Don't start getting any strange ideas now..."

"Okay. Until the chopper comes back."

"Yes."

I closed my eyes and relaxed. Being wet, dirtied, burned and bruised all over didn't even bother me anymore. I always took myself for a land-person, but the uninterrupted sound of waves in my ears now seems like the most exquisite melody. With my stiffened fingers, I pulled the communicator from my ear and ditched it into the sea. Just to be on the safe side.

END


End file.
